The following budget revision is an extension of the Protracted Relief and Recovery Operation (PRRO) for an additional six month entitled (Fight against malnutrition in food insecure vulnerable areas in Mali. The period of extension is from January to June 2011.

The conclusion of the previous PRRO 10452.0 on 31 December 2008 coincides with increases in the prices of essential foods: the cost of rice, for example, has been over 20 percent higher than the average price over the past five years. Severe food insecurity already affects 8 percent of households; 18 percent are vulnerable to food insecurity.

The proposed PRRO, which aims to consolidate the achievements of its predecessor, has the following objectives:

• improve the nutritional status of children under 5 and pregnant and lactating women;
• improve the nutritional status of people living with HIV;
• increase treatment of people affected by tuberculosis; and
• improve nutrition-related practices and knowledge.

Geographical targeting is based on the areas assisted under the previous PRRO in partnership with UNICEF in the regions of Kayes, Koulikoro, Ségou, Mopti, Gao, Timbuktu and Kidal.

Anticipating the effects of price increases, the district of Sikasso will also be covered. A survey of household food security is being considered for the urban areas of Bamako District to possibly integrate vulnerable populations into the HIV and tuberculosis component.

The components of the operation include nutrition interventions among children aged 6–59 months, food assistance for vulnerable groups and communication activities.

Capacity-building will be developed to facilitate the transfer of knowledge and skills to the Government and civil-society organizations. A gradual transfer of activities to health departments in Kayes, Gao and Timbuktu will be tested, and the National Tuberculosis Control Programme will progressively take on programme implementation tasks.

These measures, which will be assessed in a mid-term review in 2010, are expected to provide the foundation for an eventual hand-over to the Government. The proposed activities contribute to: i) WFP’s Strategic Objective 4; ii) Objective 3.5 of the UNDAF; and iii) Goals 1, 4, 5 and 6 of the MDGs. It also addresses Objective 2 in Mali’s Strategy Document on Growth and Poverty Reduction.

Countries

Mali

Located in the heart of West Africa, Mali is a vast landlocked country in the Sahel region. The political and social situation has continued to improve during the last decade with peaceful democratic elections held since 1992....