Mid-Term Evaluation for Health, Agriculture and Nutrition Development for Sustainability (HANDS)

The Health, Agriculture and Nutrition Development for Sustainability (HANDS) program commenced in June 2010. HANDS operates in seven districts in Grand Gedeh County and ten districts in River Gee County, both situated in the southeastern part of Liberia. The MTE team held extensive interviews with stakeholders at all levels using a range of tools including in-depth interviews with 859 beneficiary households.

The program has three strategic objectives: (i) increased food availability and accessibility, (ii) reduced malnutrition among children under five, and (iii) increased educational attainment. For the purpose of this MTE, only strategic objectives I and II were investigated and progress documented herein. Overall, the findings of the MTE reveal considerable progress on the components of agriculture, micro-enterprise development, nutrition, and health. Key to HANDS, and what sets OICI apart are the micro-enterprise components, particularly Super Gari, which has generated a lot of attention and interest among community members due to its nutritional benefits. Notwithstanding, some components such as infrastructure and WATSAN have delayed following removal of a consortium partner, the activities are due to resume immediately after approval of a new work plan.