SPECIAL PROGRAMME FOR FOOD SECURITY

Phase I

Phase I of the Special Programme for Food Security (SPFS) provides an opportunity to demonstrate and refine proven and promising technologies to increase farmers' production and income as well as to identify physical and socio-economic constraints to their productivity. Activities are undertaken at different ecological and administrative areas. Urban and peri-urban sites are included in consideration of migration, growth of cities and localization of poverty. Phase I entails the mobilization and training of farmers and other local personnel as well as the provision of seeds, tools and equipment. All of these activities are carried out according to approaches that emphasize participation by the beneficiaries themselves, with careful attention to gender equity in access to resources and decision-making. Activities emphasize South-South Cooperation, drawing on the experience and expertise gained by many developing countries in order to assist others facing similar challenges and conditions.

The four interrelated and complementary components of Phase I are:

(i) Water control, through the application of small-scale water harvesting, low-cost irrigation and drainage systems using rainfall, water run off, small streams, groundwater and simple lifting devices; and land development and tillage practices that offer greater resilience to climatic variations.
(ii) Intensification of crop production systems, including the use of improved high-yielding varieties; cultivation techniques; plant nutrient and pest management systems; small woodlots and windbreaks; and post-harvest handling, storage and processing technologies, combined with carefully designed marketing, credit schemes and other support delivery systems.
(iii) Diversification of production systems, including aquaculture, artisanal fisheries and short-cycle animal production (poultry, sheep, goats, pigs, bee keeping) and tree crops. Special attention is given to animal health, feeding and zootechnology, as well as the post-production activities that generate income by providing greater value added.
(iv) Constraints analysis and resolution, covering the identification of problems of issues that limit the profitability of farmers' operations and access to needed technologies, land and farm inputs (such as seeds, fertilizers and tools) as well as to storage, transport, marketing, processing and credit facilities. This component also includes the identification of institutional and policy constraints and problems concerning social equity (gender, ethnicity, class, etc.).

In each country the process starts with the formulation of a National Programme, through a participatory process of consultations with stakeholders including the farmers, and the identification of commodities, areas, technologies and institutional arrangements which would be the basis of the Special Programme. The National Programme consists of a National Programme Document which provides an overview of the national setting for the Special Programme, an outline of the programme strategy and a preliminary indication of its scope, including a brief description of its intended components, the activities to be carried out during Phase I and the transition to Phase II.

National Programme implementation begins in selected areas in a country, lasting two or three years. Implementation of Phase I features farmer-led demonstrations of better ways of farming and through which the constraints impeding food production and productivity improvements can be identified and addressed. Depending on specific conditions in each country, and resources available, Phase I includes the above mentioned four components. These may be developed in an integrated manner at the same location or, depending on local circumstances, be less closely linked. The Phase I can be extended to other areas to cover all the ecological conditions in a country and in number and range of components, depending on the results of experience and available resources.

TOOLS TO ASSIST SPFS PHASE 1 PROJECT FORMULATION

SPFS Normative Frameworks and "best practice" project examples are provided in the Toolkit under the following Phase I component web pages:


SPFS PHASE I - COMMON ELEMENTS OF PROJECT DOCUMENTS

Several common features apply to SPFS project design, generally covering such concerns as: government contribution and supporting arrangements; contractual services; terms of references (TORs) for FAO staff, and international and national specialists; and programme implementation arrangements.

Samples of common elements applicable to all components are provided below to assist in the preparation of SPFS Phase I project documents:

TORs - NATIONAL SPECIALISTS:


Note: common elements specific to each component are found on the web page concerned.

For further information on SPFS project formulation and implementation, see: