WFP Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific - 2016 SPRs RBB 2016 SPRs by project type | Page 108

Standard Project Report 2016
introduced into the situation room of the Office of the President where it was used to inform policy on nutrition and
food security and as an early warning tool in planning responses to drought.
Strategic Objective: Reduce undernutrition and break the inter-generational cycle of hunger (SO4).
Outcome: Ownership and capacity strengthened to reduce undernutrition and increase access to education at
national, regional and community levels.
Activity: Technical Assistance.
The final independent evaluations of the mother and child nutrition (MCN) programme and the local food-based
school meal (LFBSM) programme were conducted in early 2016 in line with the closure of the Country Programme
200245. Both evaluations provided useful insights.
The MCN programme covered 17 sub-districts of Timor Tengah Selatan (TTS) district with programme activities
integrated into local health systems. Throughout the implementation period, food rations fortified with micronutrients
were provided to approximately 6,000 pregnant and lactating women (PLW) and 11,500 children aged 6–23
months. The study found that 86.4 percent of PLW received fortified biscuits and 98.3 percent of children aged 6–23
months received fortified blend foods at least once. These percentage figures refer to the actual number of
beneficiaries in relation to the planned figures, which were based on the number of registered eligible beneficiaries
according to the data from health posts.
The study found a lower (67.9 percent) prevalence of stunting among beneficiary children aged 18–35 months
compared to those in non-programme areas (74.8 percent). This age group was selected in recognition of the fact
that the youngest participants should have received fortified food for at least 12 months in order for an observable
effect on stunting to be evident. Thus the beneficiaries of this programme who were aged 6-23 months during the
implementation period, were aged 18-35 months at the time of the evaluation.
Regarding knowledge, attitudes, and practices concerning infant and young child nutrition, the evaluation found that
food and nutrition outcomes were better on the whole among the beneficiaries of the MCN programme. For
example, most respondents understood the importance of health and nutrition during the first 1,000 days of life.
Improvements in converting knowledge into practice were also noted. For example, regarding the practice of
introducing complementary foods, 79.8 percent of MCN beneficiaries introduced complementary foods in a timely
manner, compared to a lower rate of 68.7 percent within the non-MCN group.
The LFBSM evaluation study found higher attendance and lower drop-out rates in LFBSM schools compared with
non-programme schools. The study also found that students in LFBSM schools were reportedly more active in
responding to teacher's questions during classes, and lower prevalence of anaemia among LFBSM schoolchildren.
While this evaluation did highlight some areas for improvement, overall the LFBSM programme was recommended
for scale-up in this and other contexts where school meals can be used as an effective entry point for improving the
health of vulnerable populations.
Progress Towards Gender Equality
In 2012, WFP conducted a gender rapid assessment on gender issues in food and nutrition security in Nusa
Tenggara Timur (NTT) province. The assessment found that gender inequalities are embedded in the social values
and daily life practices of the people of NTT. The inequalities derived mainly from the misinterpretation of cultural
traditions that contribute to women’s subordination to men evidenced by their weak decision-making roles with
regards to food and nutrition issues. As a result, women were especially vulnerable to food insecurity and
undernutrition. This assessment informed the programme on the importance of empowering women to make free
and informed choices for their family. The nutrition education components in the mother and child nutrition (MCN)
and the local food-based school meal (LFBSM) programmes were thus tailored to support women in
decision-making processes that would positively affect the nutritional well-being of the family.
WFP attempted to address gender equality through strategies embedded in its MCN programme by involving men
in behaviour change communication (BCC) strategies around food and nutrition security; involving girls (especially
adolescent girls) as targeted beneficiaries; and ensuring that fortified and adequate nutrient-dense food
were consumed by pregnant and lactating women and children, with special emphasis on children. The evaluation
found that a high proportion of men and women were exposed to behavious change messages, which was
important, to enhance their decision-making roles for the nutritional well-being of the family.
Indonesia, Republic of (ID)
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Country Programme - 200245