Project profile — Systems Approach to Improving and Sustaining Food Security in West Africa

The expected intermediate outcomes for this project include: Increased adoption of practices, in a gender equitable manner, promoting sustainable livelihoods by the people living in poor rural communities; improved utilization of healthy food in a gender-equitable manner and with a particular focus on children; and, increased use of agricultural services by people living in poor rural communities.

Results achieved as of June 2017 include: (1) significant increases in the proportions of women and men farmers with improved knowledge of sustainable crop production and livestock husbandry techniques; (2) increased access to market information and financial services for women, men and youth entrepreneurs; (3) a sizeable increase in the share of farmers using improved and sustainable crop and livestock production practices, moving from only 4% of women crop farmers in the targeted regions using such techniques before the project to 84% by the end of the project; and (4) increases in incomes for women, men and especially youth entrepreneurs, of whom 84% reported increased net incomes following the project. These results have contributed to the promotion of more sustainable livelihoods and improved utilization of healthy food in a gender-sensitive manner by the people living in rural communities in West Africa.