Strengthening Ethiopia’s social protection programme to enhance food and nutrition security
FAO undertakes a review to inform the next phase of the Productive Safety Net Programme
Addis Ababa - Stakeholders have advanced recommendations to inform the next phase of Ethiopia’s Productive Safety Net Programme (PSNP-5). The review of the 2015 – 2020 PSNP-4 graduation component that was undertaken by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in collaboration with the Government of Ethiopia informed the recommendations.
Ethiopia’s PSNP provides chronically food-insecure households and the poor with cash and food transfers through two mechanisms: Public Works for poor people with labour capacity and unconditional grants for poor people who are unable to work. The Program also facilitates access to credit and provides technical support to households based on tailored business plans as well as training in livelihood activities (crop and livestock, off-farm, and employment) to enable them to increase and diversify their incomes and build their assets.The initial expectation was that the numbers of PSNP participants would fall over time as households (graduated) by meeting their food needs, being able to withstand modest shocks and no longer needing the Programme’s support.
The graduation review that was undertaken in 2019 recommended expanding and scaling up the livelihood component of the PSNP - specifically, income diversification, saving and financial literacy training, and access to credit.
Speaking at the learning workshop that was held from 05 - 07 February 2020 in Bishoftu, Oromia, Alema Woldemariam, the Livelihood Technical Support Specialist at the Ministry of Agriculture noted that “despite having ambitious targets, the PSNP registered remarkable successes in saving lives, reducing poverty, improving livelihoods and rehabilitating the environment through public works.”
Woldemariam concurred with the recommendation of the graduation review saying “we need to expand the livelihood component of the PSNP in the next phase”.
A total of 55 representatives of the federal and regional governments, NGOs, PSNP Donor Working Group, the World Bank, and the United States Agency for International Development attended the learning workshop.
Slow pace of graduation
The graduation review indicated that out of over 315 000 households that completed the livelihood pathways during the PSNP-4, only 14 percent graduated against the planned 50 percent.
The PSNP graduates are also supposed to continue to obtain support in the form of extension and credit for a defined period. However, the review found that 38 percent of the households that developed business plans did not access credit to implement them.
“The graduation target is far from expected,” said Sidy Niang, Social Protection Officer, FAO Ethiopia.
“To improve this, stakeholders have recommended that the regional governments improve the allocation of loanable credit, livelihood training, and the provision of financial services. The capacity of the regional governments to support the implementation of graduation in the Woredas (districts) also needs to improve”, he said.
Following the recommendations of the graduation review, FAO and the Government of Ethiopia, in collaboration with the World Bank, Care International, World Vision, and Concern Worldwide will conduct a study on the effectiveness of the livelihoods pathways, the profitability of the business plans and options to enhance the productivity and income of the households.
FAO’s social protection programme
FAO generates evidence to inform social protection policies and programmes aimed at improving rural poor families living conditions, food security and their potential to contribute to the economic growth of countries.
Since November 2018, FAO, through European Union-funded Global Network against Food Crises Partnership Programme, is reviewing and strengthening the delivery mechanism of the PNSP’s integrated livelihood programme, including the sensitive nutrition component, the training package, and the graduation system.
Contact
Tamiru Legesse
National Communication Officer, FAO Ethiopia
[email protected] | +251 (0) 911861293
Rachel Nandelenga
Communication Expert, FAO Ethiopia
[email protected] | +251 (0) 900806675
More resources
FAO Approach to Social Protection: From Protection to Production
This News Release was issued by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Representation in Ethiopia.
FAO Representation in Ethiopia
Tel: +251 11 647 8888