On September 30, 2019, SNV completed implementation of the USAID-funded Title II Development Food Assistance Program, Enhancing Nutrition, Stepping Up Resiliency and Enterprise (ENSURE) project. The Project was implemented from July 2013 to September 2019 through a consortium led by World Vision, Inc. (WVUS), and implemented by SNV, Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere, Inc. (CARE),  Southern Alliance for Indigenous Resources(SAFIRE), and International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT).

ENSURE aimed to improve food, income, and nutrition security for 80,748 vulnerable rural households in six districts clustered in two semi-arid provinces: Masvingo (Bikita, Chivi and Zaka) and Manicaland (Buhera, Chipinge and Chimanimani). The project had three strategic objectives (SOs), which are organized around maternal and child nutrition (SO1), agriculture and economic empowerment (SO2), and resilience (SO3), with gender mainstreamed as a cross cutting objective (SO4).

SNV’s role in the project was premised on SO2 (Household Income Increased), specifically Intermediate Result (IR) 2.1. Agricultural Productivity and Production Increased and IR 2.2. Increased Net Revenue from Targeted Value Chains. SNV focused on facilitating improved marketing and access to markets to contribute to increased market integration and strengthen the resilience of value chain actors.

SNV and its partners worked in a challenging operating environment characterized by weak economic instability and extreme climatic conditions and epidemics. Despite this, the project was successful in achieving impressive results.

Results to date

12,922 (4,145 male and 8,777 female) smallholder farmers in the ENSURE supported value chains (sorghum, groundnuts, beans, poultry and goats) through 533 organized Producer and Marketing Groups (PMGs) to viable input, output and service markets. As a result, $352,974.39 worth of affordable input loans (12-15% interest rate per annum) was disbursed to ENSURE supported farmers by nine formal financial institutions and a private sector company. Agro-dealers also received loans and consignment stock worth $340,310 at low-interest rates from three formal financial institutions and nine seed houses respectively. Total volume of facilitated market linkages for five value chain is $4,334,035. In addition, 7,552 agro-dealers and producer group members trained in Farming as a Business (see Farming as a Business Technical Brief ).