Civil Society

World Vision International and FAO renew collaboration in support of improved and resilient livelihoods


08/09/2021 - 

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and World Vision International (WVI) have renewed their collaboration by extending the current Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) until July 2024. 

WVI and FAO have a long-standing collaboration, first formalized in 2011, which works to promote improved and resilient livelihoods by assessing risks, building foundational livelihood assets, improving and livelihood strategies. The parties work towards mutual objectives through a number of global initiatives, such as the Committee on World Food Security, World Food Day, Zero Hunger Challenge, and the Global Food Security Cluster (gFSC).

Working to Improve Livelihoods

The successful results of the collaboration arise from combining both quick wins for short-term impact and systemic change for long-term sustainability. WVI and FAO have worked in Angola, Somalia, South Sudan, Uganda and Zimbabwe where technical capacity has been strengthened through knowledge exchange and technical expertise sharing, and ensuring local participation in policy discussions.

WVI and FAO collaborated in Zimbabwe under a programme entitled, Ensuring Nutrition, Transforming and Empowering Rural Farmers and Promoting Resilience in Zimbabwe (ENTERPRIZE), which resulted in increased consumption of diverse and nutritious foods, and increased agricultural productivity leading to higher incomes.  Funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID), this programme aimed at improving food and nutrition security through coordinated activities across agriculture and health sectors.  A key component of the programme was the Gender Action Learning System (GALS), a community-led empowerment methodology based on principles of inclusion to improve income and food and nutrition security of vulnerable people in a gender-equitable way.

Currently in Zimbabwe, WVI and FAO are collaborating on the After Cyclone Idai: Building resilience to future shocks Project, helping farmers in affected areas to rebuild their livelihoods and strengthen resilience to future shocks. The project focuses on livelihoods recovery interventions such as crop and livestock production, post-harvest management trainings, establishment of gardens (fencing), seed and small livestock distribution.

Looking Forward

FAO welcomes the continued collaboration with WVI in support of the two organizations’ shared vision of improving livelihoods and agricultural resilience-building, contributing to the strategic goals of a Better Life and Better Nutrition, two of the four pillars of FAO’s renewed Strategic Framework.

Under the renewed MoU, WVI and FAO will collaborate with five selected country teams in Africa to further promote resilient, sustainable and inclusive food systems through nutrition.  In close consultation with government counterparts, the parties will strengthen efforts to mainstream nutrition within policies and programmes.  WVI will be adapting a series of FAO guidance notes into user-friendly learning and advocacy materials for grassroots organizations to focus specifically on bring nutrition to the forefront.

WVI and FAO will also continue their work on building secure livelihoods and social protection systems. Specifically the parties will promote WVI’s THRIVE/Building Secure Livelihoods (BSL) approach to reach a wider audience and encourage donor interest.  This will include organizing BSL trainings in pilot countries on designing pro-poor development strategies and programmes that improve rural people’s access to natural resources and agriculture-related services (e.g. information, extension, markets, technologies and inclusive finance, particularly for women and youth, indigenous people and specific vulnerable groups) as well as organizing knowledge-sharing webinars to present results at high level fora.  Efforts will be made to identify practices that demonstrate how nutritional needs of the most vulnerable are met through nutrition-sensitive, risk informed and shock responsive social protection systems. 

 

***

WVI is one of the leading international NGOs worldwide, with a vast network of staff and partners working in all areas of the humanitarian and development sectors with a focus on the wellbeing of children. WVI has a strong focus on disaster risk reduction and supports evidence-based practice through food and livelihood security operational research.

 

Related Links:

World Vision International

https://www.wvi.org/our-work/economic-development