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

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The target groups of NRC embrace refugees, IDPs and returnees and priority is given tovulnerable individuals and households, including women and children 35 .NRC would, according to its policies, like to design projects that are culturally andcontextually appropriate and acceptable. NRC emphasises the importance of appropriatetiming of food aid (also taking into account the local agricultural calendar) as well as a longer -term view by promoting sustainable livelihoods through agricultural pro duction and incomegeneration. Participatory and community based approaches through involvement, direct andactive participation, training and capacity building of local competencies as well as advocacyand sensitisation on food security issues (the right to food, land rights, food crisis etc) play animportant role. Moreover NRC policy prescribes for concerted interventions in conflicts orhumanitarian crisis of protracted nature.Box 3: If security allows in protracted situations 36 :NRC will implement a complementary approach between direct distributions and food security and livelihoodrecovery. Rations distributed will then not fulfil the entire beneficiary daily food requirements (2100kcal/day/person) while other food security and livelihood interve ntions will be defined according to the context;refine targeting from general distribution to a more targeted system.In return and recovery phases, food assistance may still be necessary for a period of time. Return kits may bedistributed and food secu rity and livelihood programs aiming at securing food needs of returnees in the longerterm may be implemented. Programs will be planned and phased out in accordance with NRC Exit Strategies.At the Ugandan level, the Core Activity Strategy Document on Fo od Security and Distributionfor Uganda (2008-2010) 37 states its strategic objective as: contributing to household securityand livelihoods of people affected by displacement with emphasis on IDPs and returnees inNorthern Uganda. The strategy emphasises that the focus may shift gradually from generalfood distribution to interventions that ‘encourage self-reliance of households depending onthe positive development in Northern Uganda”.NRC’s global policy to emergency food security and distribution as wel l as a ‘Core ActivityStrategy’ for Food Security and Distribution in Uganda are in turn supported andsupplemented by NRC policies on protection, gender equity, camp management, shelter andinformation, counselling, legal assistance and education 38 .35Core Activity Policy Document, Emergency Food Security and Distribution, NRC36Ibid, p. 237Still a draft version38All availed to the Evaluation Team16
5 PROJECT RELEVANCE & APPROPRIATENESSAs a result of the conflict in the North, food assistance has been given to Uganda since 1996.Although the WFP protracted relief and recovery operation (PRRO) assumed that IDPswould return home in large numbers in 2001, IDPs continued to stay in camps for securityreasons as the conflict escalated. Uganda was facing the worst humanitarian crisis in years.During the peak of the crisis nearly 2 million IDPs were confined in 188 camps in the Northand East and as outlined in Chapter 3, their situation continued to deteriorate. Surveysdocumented alarming malnutrition rates (in some cases 18 -20%) and the need for reliablehumanitarian support was palpable.Against this backdrop and with the cl ear objective of safeguarding rights, protecting lives andcontributing to house hold food security, the NRC’s project design is found timely and mostrelevant: to distribute food aid based on needs to a targeted population including the mostvulnerable in Gulu, Amuru and Kitgum.5.1 Being There at the Right TimeAs an implementing partner for WFP since 1997, NRC is one of the oldest humanitarianactors on the ground in Northern Uganda – with a presence throughout the most challengingtimes of the conflict.In order to respond appropriately and maintain efficient communication on the ground, NRC– unlike most other humanitarian organisations - established its Country Office in Gulu andhas over the years geared up its resource base to over 500 staff including 200 volunteers tofacilitate timely response of food aid and several other activities. As one appreciative districtofficial in Kitgum noted: “they brought their head quarters to the heart of the conflict, at a timewhen not many others were around”. This strategic move to the ‘field’ allowed NRC toshorten the distance to decision-making and cutting back layers of management andbureaucracy, which may otherwise hamper quick and efficient emergency response.Logistical arrangements for the food distribu tion through the peak of the crisis were quitechallenging. NRC has however accommodated itself by risking lives and being flexible whenthe security situation was not conducive and also by travelling to distribution points witharmed escorts.Today NRC’s interventions in food distribution follow ‘a most likely scenario’ – that “securityremains relatively stable. The uncertainty of the outcome of the peace talks, as well as theinfrastructural and social challenges of protracted displacement lead to a le ngthy process ofreturn and reintegration” 39 This means that NRC – in line with its policy - continues tocontribute to household food security – not only in camps but also to transit sites, wheresome people have resettled.5.2 Appropriateness of Food Aid in Protracted ConflictsEmergency food assistance composes a food basket, which is supposed to help keepingpeople alive in an emergency period. The composition of food items is designed to maintaina minimum nutritional and dietary standard (Section 7.1 provides details). The fact that theconflict in Northern Uganda has been protracted has meant that thousands of women, menand children, old and young, have nourished themselves with a daily emergency ration forlonger than what was anticipated. In a protracted situation, like Uganda, one may argue thatemergency food assistance for ten years is a contradiction in itself.39From NRC Project Proposal budget year 2008/0917
Page 4 and 5: List of Contents1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Page 6 and 7: 9.3 NRC’s Efforts Towards Connect
Page 8 and 9: tools; however it ensures food secu
Page 10 and 11: ♦♦♦♦With the ration reducti
Page 12: 1.4 CoordinationNRC’s approach to
Page 15 and 16: NRC coincided the field phase of th
Page 17 and 18: Juba talks have been perceived as t
Page 19 and 20: Table 2: 2004 Global Food Aid Deliv
Page 21: 4 PROTECTING THE RIGHT TO FOOD - TH
Page 25 and 26: 5.3 Lesson Learned♦♦♦‘Being
Page 27 and 28: schedules and working long hours to
Page 29 and 30: The complaints about the failed ver
Page 31 and 32: 7 PROJECT EFFECTIVENESSHaving asses
Page 33 and 34: most and mothers observed the nutri
Page 35 and 36: 7.1.7 Lesson Learned♦ Food aid ha
Page 37 and 38: By 2005 the profile of the crisis i
Page 39 and 40: Recent studies 95 on global food se
Page 41 and 42: From the 2007 EFSA 104 it transpire
Page 43 and 44: 7.3 Project Objective 3:To safeguar
Page 45 and 46: 7.3.4 A Future Strategy for EVIs?Se
Page 47 and 48: 8 COORDINATION8.1 A Co-ordinated Re
Page 49 and 50: some extent also GoU through distri
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Page 53 and 54: expected of them. From their perspe
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Page 57 and 58: dependency among the IDPs and unwil
Page 59 and 60: establish the food security situati
Page 61 and 62: ANNEX 1: Terms of Reference for the
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Page 65 and 66: F. Time frame and budget considerat
Page 67 and 68: Annex 2: Evaluation Programme - inc
Page 69 and 70: Annex 3: List of Documents Consulte
Page 71 and 72: Expert OpinionsMr. Joe OloyaMr. Gra
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Typical Menu:BREAKFAST:• Millet p
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NRC objectives andTOR objectivesTo
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