Reducing malnutrition, improving livelihoods

ACDI/VOCA, in partnership with SNV and Save the Children, has implemented the "Victory against malnutrition" (VIM) project - funded by USAID. “Vim” means “life” in the local Moore language, which is spoken in the target intervention zone of Sanmatenga province.

The Sanmatenga province in Burkina Faso has some of the country’s highest childhood malnutrition rates. At the same time it also holds promise for increased agricultural productivity and rural market activities, which could reduce poverty and improve food security in the area. The VIM project contributes to the reduction of food insecurity among vulnerable rural populations in the Sanmatenga province while addressing gender equity and environmental stewardship, as well as improving household incomes.

SNV’s role in the project focused on assessments of farming related groups, cooperatives, NGOs and businesses. SNV also strengthened local capacity builders, who would receive grant funding from VIM to build the capacities of their organisations to increase and diversify agricultural production. SNV developed capacity-building curricula, and delivered training focused on agricultural value chain logic, understanding and use of participatory analysis and curriculum development, to VIM staff and local delivery agents.

Project VIM expected to reduce food insecurity and increase resiliency among 147,675 direct beneficiaries, 26,401 vulnerable rural households and 26,572 indirect beneficiaries. The programme was awarded by USAID’s Office of Food for Peace.