This in-depth qualitative study in Lesotho examines the impacts of linkages between the Lesotho Child Grants Programme (CGP), the second largest national social protection programme supporting poor households with children 0-17 years, and the Sustainable Poverty Reduction through Income, Nutrition and Access to Government services (SPRINGS) pilot project, implemented by Catholic Relief Services (CRS) through UNICEF and European Union financing.

It explores impacts of these combined programmes – namely social assistance through cash transfer and livelihood support, both at the household and at the local economy level and examines in-depth the causal links and channels - the how and why – that create these impacts, particularly regarding the areas of interest of this study: economic security and resilience and nutritional knowledge, dietary practices and infant and child care, as well as operational features.

The study aims to provide insight and understanding of combined programme benefits, drawbacks and processes to inform government policy and programme decisionmaking. This particularly of priority as government is on the cusp of revising and rolling out an expanded social assistance livelihoods programme, supported notably by the World Bank. This is an opportune form of analytical evidence to generate informed decisions at national level. It is of great value to government who has already indicated interest in the drafts’ findings. It will certainly inform a wider audience notably in Africa and also globally on benefits of multi-sectoral coordination approaches in poverty reduction efforts.

http://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/CA1916EN