evaluation of general food distribution in northern uganda: gulu ...

2 INTRODUCTION“…The right to adequate food is realised when every man, woman and child, alone or incommunity with others has physical and economic access at all times to adequate foo d ormeans for its procurement…” 3For the last 22 years, the population in the Acholi region in Northern Uganda, has beenaffected by a violent conflict between the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and the Governmentof Uganda (GoU). In 1995-1996, the GoU decreed that all residents of areas affected by theconflict had to move into “protected villages”. These were de facto camps with limited spaceand extremely poor living conditions, creating an unbearable humanitarian situation forthousands of people, which in time triggered a humanitarian response. In 1997, the UNWorld Food Programme (WFP) with the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) as itscooperating partner started distributing food to the affected population in Gulu 4 and Kitgumdistricts. At that time there was an average of 450,000 Internally Displaced People (IDPs).The number of people today receiving monthly food assistance amounts to 755,000 IDPs 5 -located in the camps as well as in transit sites. In 2007 NRC distributed food to 458,000 IDPsin 65 camps and 27 transit sites in Gulu and Amuru districts, and 297,000 IDPs in 26 campsand 13 transit sites in Kitgum district. 6The objectives of the General Food Distribution Project have been to:1. To contribute to household food security and maintain the minimum nutritional anddietary standard by providing food assistance to people affected by displacement incamps in Gulu, Amuru and Kitgum districts.2. To protect lives by providing humanitarian food assistance to IDPs to meet the assessedaverage net food gap.3. To safeguard the fundamental right to food for targeted IDPs with special emphasis onwomen and children, EVIs, and the long-term effect of insufficient access to food.After distributing food to IDPs for 10 years NRC decided in 2008 to conduct an evaluation ofthe GFD project. The purpose being to obtain a systematic and objective assessment of theachievements and performance of the GFD project viz the realisation of the three objective,and subsequently also to identify lessons learned which can inform recommendations forfuture project direction. To narrow down the scope and increase relevance for future NRCprogramming, the evaluation period was defined from 2005 to 2008.2.1 Objectives & Methodology of the EvaluationIn order to assess the performance and achievements of the GFD project the followingOECD DAC evaluation criteria has been used: Relevance/Appropriateness; ProjectEfficiency and Coverage, Project Effectiveness, Coordination, Impact andLinkages/Connectedness.The GFD evaluation methodology comprised three phases: i) an inception/desk phase tomake necessary logistical arrangements, review relevant documents and develop anevaluation tool/question guide; ii) a field phase to collect qualitative data throughobservations and interviews/consultations with stakeholders; and (iii) a synthesis phasebringing together the results of the field and desk phases.3The UN charter on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights4Gulu was divided in two administrative districts in 2007, Gulu and Amuru5 The NRC Food distribution program as cooperating partner to WFP covers the districts of Gulu, Amuru and Kitgum. Paderdistrict is covered by World Vision.6 The following part is summarised from NRC Evaluation TOR8