Sierra Leone Transitional ICSP (January 2018 - December 2019)

T-ICSP approved by the ED in August 2017.

Revision 01 approved by the EB in November 2018.

Revision 02 approved by the CD in January 2019.

Revision 03 approved by the EB in June 2019.

Revision 04 approved by the CD in October 2019.

Revision 05 approved by the RD in December 2019.

Sierra Leone is struggling to recover from the effects of the Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak that claimed the lives of 4,000 people and left more than 13,000 survivors and orphans. EVD crippled the economy, increased food insecurity and reversed upward trends in health and nutrition indicators that had not yet fully recovered from the years of conflict between 1991 and 2002. EVD further weakened Sierra Leone’s fragile health system and public confidence in government institutions. Usage of non-Ebola related health services declined, resulting in increased maternal and child mortality. Half of the population is considered food-insecure, with 8 percent affected by severe food insecurity and greater prevalence in the rural areas.

Further to the roll-out of the Government's National Ebola Recovery Strategy (July 2015–June 2017) and priority activities, United Nations agencies, government donor partners and other stakeholders are developing the next phase of the Ebola recovery plan in order to support the Government in their shift from Ebola recovery operations to implementation of programmes to help reach targets set under the Sustainable Development Goals. Concurrently, WFP is providing support to the Government for the completion of the national Zero Hunger Review, which will provide a roadmap to achieve Zero Hunger.

The Transitional Interim Country Strategic Plan (T-ICSP) builds on WFP’s Ebola recovery operation to support smallholder production and productivity, increase agricultural input and market access. The T-ICSP also supports the Government to address malnutrition among vulnerable children, mothers and people living with HIV (PLHIV) and tuberculosis (TB). At the request of the Government, WFP will also continue to provide technical assistance and capacity strengthening support in the areas of home grown school feeding and disaster risk management.

Specifically, WFP will contribute to the following strategic outcomes:

• Crisis-affected populations in targeted areas have met their basic food and nutrition needs during and in the aftermath of crises.
• Chronically food-insecure populations in targeted areas in Sierra Leone have met their basic food and nutrition needs all year-round.
• Children and pregnant and lactating women and girls in districts with the highest rates of stunting and acute malnutrition as well as malnourished people living with HIV/TB nationwide will have improved nutritional status by 2020.
• Food-insecure smallholders and communities in targeted areas have improved livelihoods and resilience throughout the year.
• Capacities of national institutions are strengthened to address chronic food insecurity and improve rapid response capabilities by 2019.

In partnership with line ministries, United Nations agencies including the Rome-based Agencies, non-governmental organizations, civil society and the private sector, WFP will seek to build upon country level coordination mechanisms for disaster response, food security and nutrition programming to ensure assistance is coordinated. WFP will also invest in public-private partnerships in agriculture and nutrition launched during the Ebola recovery to ensure the most vulnerable groups, including in rural and remote areas, are prioritized and supported.

WFP will continue to draw upon its comprehensive monitoring framework established during the Ebola response to ensure accountability and demonstrate value for money for communities, the Government and donor partners. WFP will also mainstream its governance, risk management, and compliance tool kit across its operations to strengthen internal control systems and reinforce a culture of performance and accountability among staff, partners and service providers. In 2018, WFP will continue to roll out its monitoring and evaluation strategy, which includes strengthening the capacity of national partners to monitor and report on the output, outcome and impact of their interventions.