Strengthening the Resilience of Communities: Reflecting on SPIR II's Interventions in 2024
This December was eventful for the Strengthen PSNP Institution and Resilience Phase Two (SPIR II) project. The SPIR II Steering Committee, including Country Directors from each consortium partner, gathered in the Tigray region for an impactful series of site visits, focused on participants of the program who had received livelihood cash transfers and participated in group mental health activities.
The SPIR II team also took the opportunity to reflect on SPIR II’s progress during a technical working group meeting, sharing insights across consortium partners to inform the strategic direction for the coming year. The momentum continued at an event hosted by IFPRI, SPIR II’s learning partner, where key research findings were shared with all stakeholders. This was followed by a presentation at the USAID Ethiopia mission, attended by senior leadership, including the Deputy Mission Director and the head of Economic Growth and Resilience (EGR).
SPIR II made significant strides in FY 2024, reaching nearly 615,000 participants of whom 55% were female through its food security programming. The program made a substantial impact across three core purposes: provision of sufficient and diversified food for vulnerable households at all times, transforming the livelihood of vulnerable community members, and delivering accountable, effective, and shock-responsive Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP) services.
In total, SPIR II distributed 30,121 metric tons of food to 454,213 PSNP clients, including 348,849 women and 49,291 children under five with core nutrition interventions. Additionally, 10,676 malnourished children under five, were enrolled in Community Participatory Nutrition Promotion (CPNP) sessions, achieving a 93% success rate in sustaining weight gain over three months.
SPIR II also showcased its results at the USAID and Resilience Learning Activity event, dubbed “Food Security in Action: Building Resilience in Ethiopia” held on December 12 and 13. The event highlighted SPIR II’s achievements, alongside other Resilience Food Security Activities (RFSA) partners, in advancing food security and resilience in Ethiopia, contributing to the Productive Safety Net Program.
Food Security in Action: Advancing Resilience
The event brought together a wide range of stakeholders, including the Government of Ethiopia, USAID, Resilience Food Security Activities (RFSAs) partners, NGOs, PSNP donors, and the private sector, to discuss and promote food security and resilience strategies. Participants reviewed the progress made by SPIR II and other RFSAs and explored evidence-based strategies for fostering synergy and integrated approaches.
Opening remarks from USAID and the Government of Ethiopia underscored the importance of collaboration and shared goals. USAID’s EGR Office Director highlighted Ethiopia’s resilience journey and the significant progress made in programming.
During a panel discussion, Dr Alemayehu Wassie from ORDA Ethiopia, a SPIR II implementing partner, emphasised the critical role of localization and leveraging the contextual knowledge of local partners. Recommendations for PSNP future iterations included promoting household asset creation through loan guarantees, enhancing gender inclusion, community ownership, and market linkages, and strengthening local capacities. The session also highlighted the need to connect community groups, such as Village Economic and Social Associations (VESA), with government structures.
Deep-dive sessions explored SPIR II’s Health and Nutrition programs, along with tools from other RFSA partners to improve project effectiveness, and examined private-sector partnerships aimed at fostering sustainable livelihoods. Dr. Michael Mulford, SPIR II's Chief of Party, alongside other RFSA Chief of Parties, reiterated the importance of localization, integrated programming, and landscape investments during the closing plenary. It was acknowledged that the $1 billion USAID investment in the RFSAs and their predecessor projects reflects the US Government’s strong commitment to building resilience among vulnerable households.
SPIR II Impact Results Workshop
The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), in collaboration with implementation partners, is leading the SPIR II learning agenda. This agenda focuses on strategies to reduce extreme poverty and enhance household resilience through formative studies, impact evaluations, and related research.
On Dec 9-10, 2024 IFRI hosted a learning event at the ILRI campus in Addis Ababa where study results were shared with the aim of optimizing the design and implementation of SPIR II and future social protection programs in Ethiopia.
Presentations highlighted the impact of therapy and cash interventions on mental health and household well-being, underscoring the importance of integrating livelihood support with mental health initiatives such as Group Problem Management Plus (gPM+). Participants discussed challenges in the sector, including the insufficient integration of Mental Health and Psychological Support (MHPSS), poverty, and conflict, with experts advocating for strengthening local coping mechanisms and strategies.
Another IFPRI presentation focused on the promotion of Sustainable Land Management (SLM) through training and the provision of inputs. The adoption of practices like tree planting and composting was noted for its scale-up potential, despite systemic challenges such as limited access to irrigation for tree health. Discussions emphasized the need to balance household and landscape interventions while integrating indigenous knowledge.
Recipients of SPIR II research grants offered valuable insights from their studies. Topics explored included the role of distress tolerance in moderating mental health outcomes, engaging religious leaders to address gender-based violence, and utilising phone-based messaging to encourage shared household responsibility to advance gender equity. These findings highlighted the importance of integrating mental health with livelihoods and proposed innovative solutions to address systemic challenges in SLM practices and community resilience efforts.
About SPIR II
Strengthen Productive Safety Net Programme (PSNP) Institutions and Resilience (SPIR) II is a five-year Resilience Food Security Activity (RFSA) implemented by a consortium of partners led by World Vision, which includes CARE, ORDA Ethiopia, and learning partner IFPRI. It is funded by the USAID Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) and focuses on enhancing livelihoods and resilience to shocks, as well as improving food security and nutrition for rural households in Ethiopia’s Amhara, Oromia, and Tigray regions through interventions aligned with the government’s Productive Safety Net Programme (PSNP).
By Emnet Dereje, Communications Specialist (SPIR II), World Vision Ethiopia