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Strengthening State leadership in food & nutrition security governance in the Sahel and West Africa

Strengthening State leadership in food & nutrition security governance in the Sahel and West Africa

In response to a recommendation from the second evaluation of the PREGEC Charter, the RPCA developed a self-assessment tool on the leadership capacities of States in the governance of food and nutrition security (FSN). This new analytical tool is the result of an inclusive process carried out in six pilot countries (Burkina Faso, Ghana, Liberia, Mali, Niger and Senegal) that led to the formulation process and testing of the tool. The tool allows for regular self-assessments by governments and IGOs in order to identify weaknesses and implement corrective measures. Its development benefited from the support of the European Union.

COMING UP: Workshop with PREGEC technical experts: 2 February 2021

Summary

Background

Despite progress made, responses to food and nutrition crises in the Sahel and West Africa still lack coherence and co-ordination. Some of the commitments made by stakeholders under the PREGEC Charter are not always respected. Many food and nutrition security (FNS) initiatives overlap, inter-sectoral co-ordination remains weak and there is a general lack of monitoring and evaluation and accountability for results.

The second evaluation of the PREGEC Charter pointed out these shortcomings and recommended strengthening the leadership capacity of States and intergovernmental organisations (IGOs).

This new analytical tool for assessing leadership in the governance of food and nutrition security responds to this demand by allowing regular self-assessments by governments and IGOs in order to identify weaknesses and implement corrective measures. The tool questions various areas of FNS governance, particularly the policy environment, the effectiveness of existing frameworks for food crises prevention and management, as well as co-ordination. The tool complements the Set of instruments for food crisis management and contributes to implementing the PREGEC Charter principles.

Objectives

General objective

  • Strengthen leadership in the governance of food and nutrition security in the 17 countries of the ECOWAS-UEMOA-CILSS area as well as at the regional level

Specific objectives

  • Perform regular self-assessments of the leadership capacities of States and IGOs in FNS governance
  • Measure progress and identify shortcomings and corrective measures
  • Strengthen the effectiveness of States and IGOs in the implementation of their commitments made under the PREGEC Charter, particularly in terms of steering policies and developing food crisis prevention and management mechanisms.

Tool

The tool questions three areas of analysis:

  • Policy environment
  • Food crises prevention and management
  • Co-ordination

Based on the performance criteria, some questions and options for answering or scoring were defined. In total, the analytical cycle comprises 25 questions and 78 response options.

 

Evaluation criteria

  • Existence and implementation (policies and programmes) or existence and functionality (framework, system, authorities)
  • Influence in the FNS sector
  • Connections between the policies and the programmes
  • Consideration of the different forms of food and nutrition insecurity
  • Agreed-upon response tools and options
  • Communication
  • Sustainable financing mechanisms

 

Dashboard

The evaluation team establishes a dashboard for each analytical cycle to visualise the performance of the three areas of analysis, as well as at the global level. In addition to these performance scores, the dashboard also provides a summary of actions to address the identified shortcomings.

Evaluation process

The analysis can be conducted:

  • Periodically (every five years) : institutionalised in the evaluation cycles of policies and programmes (NAIP-FNS, RAIP-FNS, PCD-TASAN)
  • Upon request: without a predefined timeframe (mid-term evaluations, establishment of a baseline in the context of the formulation of a new policy or programme)

1. Preparation

  • Selection of a resource person to facilitate the process
  • Data collection and review of indicators by the resource person
  • Establishment of a national committee, including relevant sector-specific departments related to FNS, civil society, and technical and financial partners
  • Inception meeting of the national committee, organised by the government institution in charge of the evaluation process

2. Analysis

  • Overview of the tool
  • Composition of three sub-groups
  • Evaluation by section
  • Feedback, discussion and consensus
  • Discussion on available and immediately applicable corrective measures and requests
  • Consolidation of the dashboard, measures available with immediately applicable corrective actions and requests
  • Preparation of an action plan based on the evaluation grid

3. Policy dialogue

  • Continued inter-sectoral discussion and validation of the action plan and the evaluation grid
  • Presentation of the action plan and the evaluation grid to the highest national authority on FNS for endorsement and decisions on further actions to implement and monitor it

4. Implementation

  • Implementation of the action plan and monitoring by the government institution in charge of co-ordinating FNS issues
  • Support to civil society to carry out oversight, monitoring and advocacy actions

Next steps

  • September 2020: launch of the tool; rollout and promotion at country and regional level
  • October 2020 – March 2021: launch of the first analytical cycle of self-assessment by volunteer countries
  • 2 February 2021: Workshop with PREGEC technical experts
  • April 2021 : presentation of initial findings and feedback on the tool