Victory Against Malnutrition Project (ViM)

ACDI/VOCA implements a five-year, $37 million Title II food security program in Burkina Faso to improve farmers’ incomes and household food security and nutrition, especially among pregnant women and young children. The program was awarded by USAID’s Office of Food for Peace.

The ACDI/VOCA Burkina Faso team works with its key partners, Save the Children and the Netherlands Development Organization, to implement the Victory against Malnutrition Project (Projet Victoire sur la Malnutrition), also referred to as Project Vim. “Vim” means “life” in the local Moore language, which is spoken in the target intervention zone of Sanmatenga province.

Sanmatenga province in Burkina Faso has some of the country’s highest childhood malnutrition rates. It also holds promise for increased agricultural productivity and rural market activities, which could reduce poverty and improve food security in the area.

Nutrition-, Agriculture- and Income-Boosting Strategies

The program team uses multiple strategies—agriculture value chain analysis, nutritional behavior change techniques and improved health and sanitation infrastructure—to improve food security and nutrition and link vulnerable households to sustainable livelihoods. The activities are organized around three program objectives:

1. Increase and diversify agricultural production;
2. Improve household incomes;
3. Reduce chronic malnutrition among children younger than 5 and pregnant and lactating women.

As part of its comprehensive approach, the program team also promotes gender equity at the community and household levels and addresses environmental stewardship issues related to agricultural productivity, income-generating activities, and household health and nutrition.

Scope of Victory against Malnutrition

Project Vim expects to reduce food insecurity and increase resiliency among 147,675 direct beneficiaries, 26,401 vulnerable rural households and 26,572 indirect beneficiaries.

Expected Results: Better Agriculture, Income, Nutrition

Increase, diversify agricultural production

Agricultural activities center on enhancing productivity and increasing food availability through improved farming practices and technologies. Expected intermediate results include:

• Strengthened producer groups
• Improved farm management practices adopted by more farmers
• Increased access of smallholder farmers to agricultural inputs
• Better integration of livestock into household production systems

Improve household incomes

Income-generating activities stem from in-depth agricultural value chain analysis. Program strategies include developing sustainable relationships between beneficiaries and public and private stakeholders, and linking smallholder farmers to profitable domestic and regional markets. Expected intermediate results include:

• Improved market linkages
• Expanded off-farm employment opportunities
• Better access to market services

Reduce chronic malnutrition of children, women

Nutrition-enhancing activities improve the caloric, protein and micronutrient intake and absorption of children younger than 5 and pregnant or lactating women. Expected intermediate results include:

• Increased use of key maternal and child health and nutrition (MCHN) and sanitation practices and services
• Improved access to key MCHN services and supplies
• Better access to improved sanitation infrastructure