1.0� ��PROJECT BRIEF

1.1� RATIONALE /CONTEXT

Issues affecting food security in the Asian region made the Project highly significant. Reality shows that despite tremendous growth for the past two decades, the region is still home to more than 800 million people living in poverty.� In East Asia, for instance, where the average GDP growth is more than 6% in the last 15 years (1980-94), more than 450 million people are still earning less than US$ 1 per day (WB, 1994).� More so, the importance and urgency in addressing food security in Asia has been highlighted with the financial crisis in the second half of 1997 which makes the condition even more difficult for the poor.� GDPs of many East Asian countries are even projected to be negative and is expected to severely affect food security of Asian countries.� Small-scale farmers and the rural and urban poor in developing Asia will be hit hardest by long-term declines in income level.

It is hoped that with the 200-Village food security initiative, ANGOC, its membership and the grassroots communities will be able to develop and act upon food security issues locally and formulate significant policies influencing national and regional level, as a contribution to poverty and hunger alleviation efforts under today�s globalization trends.

The Project was initially conceived to monitor and determine the extent to which World Food Summit (WFS, 1996) commitments have been achieved at the community level, where it matters most.� It was one of the recommendations in the Joint ANGOC-FAO Follow-up Workshop on Cooperation in the Implementation of the WFS Plan of Action (Bangkok, 1997). This entails selecting key food security variables which are measurable and which could be compared and aggregated at the national and regional levels.

The Asian NGO Coalition for Agrarian Reform and Rural Development (ANGOC), as a constituency-based network has engaged in conducting village surveys during its 20-year existence as a network.� Similar regional and local activities in the past include the i) 1977-79 village-level pre-WCARRD consultations; ii) 20-village survey per country done in 1983-84 to monitor the WCARRD follow-up covering 10 countries; iii) the preparatory work for UNCED involving national consultations with over 500 NGOs in Southeast Asia; and iv) the five-year Asian Development Forum involving national and regional consultations.

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1.2� �OBJECTIVES

The general objective of the Project is to assess food security at the household and community level as the basis for community-level planning and action and policy advocacy at the national and regional level.� Specifically, the objectives of the Project are as follows:

i)������������������ to develop a framework showing the interrelationship of fundamental factors affecting food security at the household and community level;

ii)���������������� to develop and implement methodologies and skills for utilizing the above indicators as the basis for community-level planning and action by the local NGOs and the communities themselves;

iii)�������������� to enable the grassroots communities to participate more effectively in identifying food related problems, plan actions to solve these problems, and to monitor progress in food security in the community level, through Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) techniques;

iv)�������������� to utilize the obtained data as basis for linking local action with ANGOC�s policy work with local and national governments and international agencies;

v)���������������� to encourage discussions and create opportunities to establish favorable policy environment in promoting food security;

vi)�������������� to advance effective knowledge transfer and experience sharing among the ANGOC networks and strengthen the capacities of Southern NGOs, and;

vii)������������ to� promote and help attain food security among the selected villages.

In achieving the above-interrelated objectives, the Project attempts to promote rethinking and influence the shift of the dominant concept and practice of food security as espoused by government and international agricultural institutions.

�1.3� PROJECT SCOPE� AND METHODOLOGY�

The Project covers 10 Asian countries (Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Nepal, Philippines, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Thailand) from where the 200 representative villages will be selected� (20 villages per country).��

The Project consists of three phases (Baseline Survey and Community Planning, Project Implementation and Policy Advocacy) and covers three years.� A set of criteria will guide the selection of villages in each country.� With this, it is expected that varied yet comprehensive information about food security situation in the region will be generated through participatory data collection methodologies.� As such, the identification of community action plans and the direction of policy advocacy/dialogues will be guided and defined by the actual situations reflected by the results.� Households and villages, who are reflective of the implications of national and regional policies and programs on food security, are considered as the unit of analysis.�

Criteria for the selection of villages:

�������� it must be relatively small� (i.e composed of 200-500 households), homogenous and accessible

�������� it must have the capacity to generate demonstrative effect

�������� preferably, it has existing food security initiatives

�������� preferably, it has been included in the Asian Development Forum processes and the ANGOC 1983 Village Survey (WCARRD)

�������� preferably, it has good rapport and linkages with other agencies and communities

1.4� KEY� ACTIVITIES

The Project is developed with the idea that food security can best be measured at the household and village level and that its status is reflected by the combined effect of various factors or key indicators. This idea serves as the initial framework from which the Project proceeds.� Table 1 enumerates the key and specific indicators, assumptions and variables considered significant in assessing the status of food security. The actual nature and direction of relationship of these factors will form the framework noted as the first Project objective.

Likewise, the Project aims to map out significant interventions in the community, which help promote food security.� In this sense, a framework will be developed from the nature and pattern of community interventions of the existing NGOs, POs and government line agencies, as well.

1.4.1� �Establishing Mechanism for Sustained and Impact-Oriented Actions

Throughout the Project implementation, a mechanism will be established to develop favorable link between the grassroots communities and the policy environment. This mechanism will provide venue for all development efforts especially where micro and macro linkages would help ensure sustained and impact-oriented actions.

1.4.2� �Baseline Survey

Baseline survey consists of data gathering from the household, community and national level.� The Household Survey Questionnaire, Community Profiling Guide and the National Food Security Situationer are the three types of data collection instruments designed for each level, respectively.� Below are brief description of the instruments and the general guidelines in administering them.

i)� Household Survey Questionnaire�

The household questionnaire is composed of the i) household profile;� ii) household purchasing power;� iii) household expenditure pattern;� iv) food acquisition, distribution and consumption; v) housing and facilities; vi) household health status; vii) food production viii) level of community participation; ix) perception on food security indicators, and;� x) community problems. Qualified respondents could be the male or female head of the household or the eldest sibling.� In the process, any or all of them could sit in the interview.� Thirty (30) households will represent each selected village for the survey.� Sample households will be selected randomly.� Guidelines will be provided to Country Focal Points (CFPs) on the random sampling technique that will be adopted in the study.� This data gathering instrument is to be accomplished by the enumerators from local NGO partners with the supervision of the CFP.

ii)� Community Profiling Guide�

The community profiling guide contains information about the village�s�� i) natural features;� ii) socio-demographic characteristics;� iii) basic social services;� iv)� economic activities;� v)� basic household and community facilities;� vi)� environmental management;� vii) social organization, and; viii) community issues and problems. The information required in this guide shall be obtained from both primary and secondary sources through participatory approaches.� Sources may include key informant interviews, focus group discussion, and ocular inspection and line agencies among others.� The local NGO partners will take the lead in community profiling process with the supervision of the Country Focal Point (CFP).

iii)� National Food Security Situationer

The National Food Security Situationer outlines the basic information for a general assessment of national food security status.� Secondary information on the following are required at the national level: i) country profile; ii) demography iii) economy; iv) land use pattern; v) land ownership structure; vi) national policies affecting agriculture vii) social services;� viii) role and participation of women, and; ix) NGO intervention.� This data-gathering instrument is to be accomplished by the Country Focal Point (CFP) mostly through secondary sources.�

1.4.3� Community Projects

Projects addressing food security will be identified by the communities themselves based primarily on the community planning and baseline survey outcome.� Project implementation is the second phase of the 200-Village Project.

1.4.4� Policy Advocacy

Policy advocacy, as another major component is a continuing process throughout the Project.� It is however, highlighted in the third phase where the outcome of baseline survey and community project are processed and analyzed and which will set specific agenda for policy dialogues.�� Food security monitor, process documentation, PRA processes and case studies are activities, which will be undertaken across Project phases and will form part of the policy advocacy processes.

1.5������� �PROJECT MANAGEMENT

At the regional level ANGOC board of directors and the secretariat take the lead in Project management with the help of the Project Advisory Committee (PAC) and the Technical Working Group (TWG), especially formed for the Project operation.� On the other hand, the Country Focal Points (CFPs) take the lead at the national level in coordination with local NGO Partners and the South-South Placements Volunteers.� The CFPs are mainly ANGOC members in selected countries covered by the Project.

2.0� PROJECT STATUS

2.1� COUNTRIES INCLUDED AND PROJECT FOCAL POINTS

The Project is now operational in seven countries and has covered about 139 villages out of the target 200.� The countries include Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.� ADAB, AVARD, BINA SWADAYA, RDF, PhilDHRRA, NNGOC and RRAFA act as Country Focal Points (CFPs) in each country respectively.� In addition, other ANGOC members in some countries are also involved in the Project as coordinated by the CFP.� In India, AIRD, GPF, CARTE, CORT/FORRAD, MYRADA and SARRA are actively involved in the Project while BINA DESA and KPA in Indonesia.

2.2� ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED

Table 2 shows the status of the Project Baseline Survey (Phase I) as of August 1999, which consists mainly of the household survey, community profiling and preparation of the national food security situationer.� Also listed are the activities conducted, as described below.

2.2.1� National Meetings/Workshops

The national meeting led by the Country Focal Points (CFPs) was a major activity to formally begin the national-level implementation of the 200-Village Project. With the national meeting, the CFP and the local NGO partners were expected to have common understanding of the overall process involved in the Project. Furthermore, it helped assess the capacity of the NGOs to carry out their role in the Project and come up with an efficient and effective approach in Project operationalization.

General Objectives :

1. ��� to consult and orient the local NGO partners about the Project

2. ��� to assess capability and needs of local NGO partners to implement the Project

3. ��� to formulate national action plan of CFP in consultation with local NGO partners

Specific Objectives :

1. ��� to orient the participants on the following

�������� 200-Village Project Concept

�������� Project components and methodology

�������� Project management scheme

2. ��� to identify/finalize the list of sample villages��

3. ��� to identify local NGO partners to work on each selected village

4. ��� to define cost-sharing scheme

5. ��� to present and examine the content of the data collection instruments (household survey questionnaire and� community profiling guide) to prepare local NGO work plan for the conduct of the baseline survey in their assigned village(s).

This was held in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan.� Others like Indonesia and Sri Lanka combined the National Meeting and the Training.�� For countries such as India and Indonesia, where more than one organization are involved in the country-level implementation, smaller meetings of Project partners were held prior to the National Meeting. Philippines on the other hand started with a National Food Security Conference.�

2.2.2.����� Pre-testing of Household Questionnaire

The household survey questionnaire prepared by the TWG was pre-tested in each country to assess applicability in the local community.� The questionnaire was revised accordingly by the CFPs to capture country-specific conditions.� This resulted to several sets of questionnaire with minor differences for each country.

2.2.3� In-Country Training / Investigators� Training

A major preparatory activity for the baseline survey and community planning component of the 200-Village Project where all participating NGOs (local NGO partners) in the Project were convened to discuss specific project design and methodology. Participants were representatives of the local NGO partners who actually conducted/supervised the survey. Major topics discussed were the survey instruments specifically its development (food security operational definition, indicators and variables) and administration (�how to�).��

Revisions on the instruments based on participants� experience in gathering local data were also considered.� Some incorporated pre-testing (actual interview) in this activity.�

2.2.4� National Food Security Conference

In the Philippines, this Conference was held to begin the process where representatives from NGOs, GOs, POs and academe were convened to discuss national food security in the current regional/global situation.�

2.2.5� Household Survey

Thirty (30) households represented each selected village during the survey.� In most villages sample households were selected randomly as proposed in the Project methodology.� However, significant considerations led the CFPs to adopt purposive sampling procedure. For instance, sampling selection was confined with households below poverty line, or small farmers in some of the villages.� Specific sampling procedure adopted in each village will be carefully considered in the analysis.�

Community profiling and the preparation of national food security situationer were done simultaneously with the household survey.

2.2.6� PRA Training

It is a major approach in the overall project process, particularly in community profiling and planning.� This involved training/workshop on various PRA techniques useful in gathering especially the community-level information and in project planning.

Most of the CFPs incorporated their discussions on this in the in-country training while some had a separate workshop to learn the process.

2.2.7� Village Meetings/Workshop

This was intended to present/validate gathered information at the village level� (survey and profiling) and also, for community planning for possible food security projects/interventions in the community or to gather additional information.�

2.3� REGIONAL ACTIVITIES

Since the ANGOC Board of Directors approval of the Project concept in a regional meeting in February 1998, the Regional Secretariat has initiated discussions with a number of institutions, which could support the project technically and financially.

2.3.1� Formation of Project Advisory Committee and Technical Working Group

Initially, the Project Advisory Committee (PAC) and the Project Technical Working Group were formed by June 1998 composed of representatives from the following institutions.

����������� Project Advisory Committee� (PAC)

1.�� Mr. A.Z.M.� Obaidullah Khan
������������� Former Assistant Director General
������������� FAO-RAP

2. ��� Bishop Antonio J. Ledesma, S.J.
������������� Bishop President
������������� Prelature of Ipil
������������� Bishop�s Residence, Philippines

3. ��� Dr.� Percy E. Sajise
������������� Director
������������� SEARCA (SEAMEO Regional Center for Graduate Study
������������������ and Research in Agriculture), Philippines

Technical Working Group (TWG)

1. ��� Mr. Virander K. Sibal�
����������� Representative
����������� Food and Agriculture Organization -Manila

2. ��� Dr. Gil Saguiguit Jr.
����������� Head
����������� Research� and Development
����������� SEARCA, Philippines

3. ��� Prof.� Marideth Bravo
����������� Institute of Agrarian and Rurban Development Studies (IARDS),
����������� College of Public Affairs, University of the Philippines at Los Ba�os

4. ��� Ms.� Rachel Polestico�
����������������������� Deputy Director
����������������������� South East Asia Rural Social Leadership Institute( SEARSOLIN), Philippines

5.�� Fr. Francis Lucas
����� Vice Chair, ANGOC

2.3.2������� Development of Project Design and Methodology

Through a series of TWG meeting, the Project design and methodology including the baseline survey instruments (as described above) were finalized. Pre-testing of the household questionnaire was also conducted in selected rural Barangays in Infanta, Quezon, Philippines.�

2.3.3� First Regional Meeting

The first Regional Meeting was held last 01-04 December 1998 in Bangkok. The meeting was focused on the 200-Village Project process and methodology and backed up by the MIS (Management Information System) Training. It was participated by nine (9) NGO networks from eight (8) Asian countries.� Some members of the TWG and Technical Staff from the Regional Office of the FAO-RAP, also attended the Meeting as resource persons.�

The main objectives of the Meeting were :

i)�� to� consult and orient the Country Focal Points (CFPs) of the Project

ii)� to enhance the capability of CFPs to� implement the Project

iii) to develop an efficient information exchange among partners

Several outputs generated were as follows:

i)������� finalization of key Project activities for Phase I

ii)����� food security indicators

iii)��� revised data gathering instruments

iv)��� manual on field survey and data gathering processes

v)����� hands-on training on Internet and e-mail technology

vi)��� agreement to promote and establish link between the 200-Village Project Country Focal Points and FAO Country Representatives regarding the implementation of the Project

vii)� draft action plan per country for the implementation of the baseline survey and on internet connectivity and advocacy

2.3.4� Database Development

A Database System was developed for encoding and processing of data from the household survey.� A consultant from the Institute of Statistics, University of the Philippines at Los Ba�os (INSTAT, UPLB) was contracted for three (3) months to develop the System.� The System was especially developed to capture the minor variations in the survey questionnaire used in each country.�

2.3.5������� Data Processing and Analysis Training

It was held last 04 and 05 October, 1999 in Tagaytay City, Philippines.� The primary objective of the Training is to equip CFPs with skills and technology in processing and analysis of the household survey data within national and regional-level context, since first level analysis will be done at the national level.� This will also enable the CFPs and local NGO partners to access and make use of the data for local projects/activities.�

Technical person in-charge of data processing and analysis from each CFP attended the Training.� Each CFP was given a copy of the Database System together with the User�s Guide and the Guides for Data Analysis.

The work plan of activities in preparation for next year�s Regional Meeting, where baseline survey results will be presented, was also drafted during the Training.