Vulnerability Analysis and Mapping Unit

VAM IS VAM is a WFP institutional structure for capacity building, data collection, analysis and synthesis in food security and poverty. VAM works closely with national governments, other UN agencies, and NGO/PVO partners to integrate vulnerability analysis and mapping techniques into broader anti-poverty and food insecurity initiatives. 7

WFP: “vulnerability to food insecurity” An aggregate measure, for a given population or region, of the risk of exposure to food insecurity, and the ability of the population to cope with the consequences of that insecurity. Vulnerability = Food security risks + Inability to cope

VAM COVERAGE

Activity-Themes within VAM a) Vulnerability Analysis b) Project Targeting b) Needs Assessment c) Early Warning d) Contingency Planning e) M & E f) Specific Programming support activities

VAM IN CHINA Targeting of WFP/IFAD Projects Support to M&E activities

Provinces and Counties of China Provinces:32 Counties:2450 Townships:45,000 Villages:750,000

Targeting of WFP/IFAD projects included five steps: In 1997, VAM was established in WFP China Office supported by IFAD. Since then, VAM has been playing an important role in area and beneficiary targeting for WFP/IFAD projects in China. Targeting of WFP/IFAD projects included five steps: Countrywide Area Identification Project Counties Project Townships Villages Households/beneficiaries Vulnerability Analysis Participatory Approach

Indicators used for County analysis: Targeting The analysis at provincial level hides significant intra-provincial differences therefore, a tentative classification of Counties based on available food security risk indicators was carried out ( socio-economic data was not available for all the counties across China).Approximately 2000 counties were analyzed. Indicators used for County analysis: Land availability Food production Crop yield Crop pattern Husbandry production Output value of agriculture, livestock, fishery and forestry Activity rate (rural labor/rural population)

Government’s poverty stricken counties Targeting The result of county level preliminary food security analysis was compared with Government’s poverty stricken counties

Targeting Area 1 Area 2 Area 3 75% of government poverty-stricken counties match with WFP/VAM food insecure county list. After consultation with Ministry of Agriculture, three priority areas were identified for WFP/IFAD assistance. Area 1 Area 2 Area 3 A new project in Shaanxi-Hubei (Area 2) has been approved by the Executive Board. A new project in Guangxi Province (Area 3) is under preparation.

Disparity within counties must be considered Targeting Counties: 24 Population: 7.8 million Counties: 46 Population: 14.9 million Shaanxi-Hubei (Area 2) Guangxi (Area 3) Area 1 Area 2 County analysis Counties: 9 Townships: 247 Population: 2.8 million Counties: 10 Townships: 140 Population: 2.3 million Area 3 Disparity within counties must be considered Counties: 9 Townships: 128 Population: 1.5 million Counties: 10 Townships: 74 Population: 1.2 million Rural net income 680yuan—816yuan 1500yuan--1650yuan Grain per rural capita 284kg—350kg 320kg—365kg

Indicators for township targeting The selection of indicators is guided by the definition of vulnerability: Vulnerability = Exposure to risk – Ability to cope Indicators for township targeting Ø Exposure to Risks Coefficient of variation of grain production land availability annual growth rate of rural population Ø Coping Abilities rural net income per capita grain and meat production growth rate of per capita grain production grain yield Ø Access to social services % of HHs with safe drinking water % of HHs with electricity % of villages with clinic number of doctors per 1000 farmers Ø Amount of relief and population below poverty line

Targeting

3. Project villages selection Targeting 3. Project villages selection The selection of project villages within project townships will take into consideration the following criteria proposed by VAM: Per capita grain production of the village; Per capita net income of the village; Distance from the location of township government; Frequency of and damage caused by natural disasters.

4. Households selection Household selection Targeting 4. Households selection Household selection A household typology has been developed for beneficiary selection based mainly on income and food availability. There are four categories: Better off Poor Very poor Poorest The selection will be done by the farmers in the villages on a participatory basis and the priority will be given to the poor and very poor households which are usually between 70-80% of total households.

M&E Proposal by VAM-China China Project 6147 WFP/IFAD Qinling Mountain Poverty Alleviation Project M&E Proposal by VAM-China

The long term objective of the project is to M&E The long term objective of the project is to enable food and income security of vulnerable households The overall objective is to achieve increase in productive capacity, both on-farm and off-farm; to offer increased access to economic and social resources, including education, health, sanitation and social networks. Expected outcome/impact would be: changes in the livelihoods of vulnerable households

Data collection system designing Indicator selection M&E VAM has been actively involved in the following work for the impact evaluation: Data collection system designing Indicator selection Baseline survey designing

The weaknesses of GRS are: M&E 1. Data collection system designing During the appraisal mission of the project preparation, VAM conducted a comprehensive investigation of Government’s reporting system (GRS) in the project area, including Definition of data/indicators data collection methodology data reporting channel data processing and analyzing system The weaknesses of GRS are: Definitions of data/indicators are not unified Data collection methodology are not standardized Difficulty of comparison, both for targeting and evaluation.

The major roles of UIS are: M&E To improve the data quality and ensure the success of monitoring and evaluation, a Unified Information system(UIS) was proposed. The major roles of UIS are: To supplement the existing GRS with additional surveys To organize and unify data collection by standardizing definition and methodologies To organize data entry and retrieve, and to carry out analysis To provide information/feedback to project management for better project implementation To build up UIS and make it effective, capacity building is essential. Therefore, we will use our projects to introduce the system, to test it, to improve it and to replicate it.

M&E Weighing Summary Chart of UIS for M&E of Qinling Project Secondary data collection Primary data collection UIS Unified formation System for M & E based County PMOs HHs Survey Project progress (food delivery, micro-credit, physical achievements, training, etc.) Village survey general context formation Regular reported information of production,yield,etc. Weighing <5 years old children Ad hoc small size surveys and market analysis when necessary reporting Government Reporting Systems Additional surveys monitoring Evaluation PMOs donors

2. Indicator Selection M&E According to the project objectives and activities, VAM proposed to measure the following possible changes in people’s living standard and alleviation poverty for Outcome/Impact evaluation    2. Indicator Selection Food security Food production Access to food HHs diet patterns Food consumption HHs income level and income sources Living expenditure, especially on education,medicine,etc. Socio-economy school drop-out rate by gender nutrition status of children under 5 adult illiteracy rate by gender HHs access to electricity Environment protection Fuel wood production Other outcomes relief food for natural disasters

M&E 3. Evaluation designing Evaluation will be carried out by three steps. 1. Baseline survey—to establish the benchmarks with which the changes/improvements will be compared 2. Mid-term Evaluation— the middle of the implementation when few initial responses from the targeted population will express 3. Final Evaluation -- at the end the project It is expected that significant outcomes /improvements should be noted of the targeted population, as a result of increased yield, greater food availability, income generating activities, nutritional and health status improvements. For the mid-term and final evaluation, household surveys will be carried out to collect the same information from the same households as in the baseline survey. Information from non-project areas will also be collected for comparison.

Standardization of Data collection methodology 4. Technical support to the Implementation During the implementation of impact evaluation, VAM will provide technical support to UIS set-up and operation, especially in: Standardization of Data collection methodology Data management and analysis Capacity building Mapping

M&E Assessment of Current Monitoring and Evaluation of Projects in China Present proposed schedule   Dec. February -          Annually -          Project start and & mid-term ·         (Results-Oriented Performance Reports) -          Impact Profile Report of the Project Area -          Results-Oriented Project Report (Summary) -          Results-Oriented Log Frame New Reporting Requirement -          Project start -          Redundant -          Baseline Survey Govt. Expenditures -          Utilization of Govt. Savings -          Socio-Economic Profile Annually Dec. & June -          Half-yearly -          Physical and Financial Summary -          Allocation & Utilization of workdays -          Quality Assessment (further review needed prior to deletion) -          Project Beneficiary -          Gender Participation in FFW & FFT & Gender participation in Project Management 6 Month Cycle Timing -          Quarterly -          Commodity Data -          Project Credit Operations Quarterly ·         All information written with italic should be deleted and replaced with the appropriate input.

M&E Results-Oriented Project Report Monitoring and Evaluating Relevance, Performance and Success Same as above Answer: i) How does one or more of WFP's five global strategies for Enabling Development assist national efforts, and ii) how does the project relate to the WFP global policies. Enabling Development:  WFP's strategy on Enabling Development with focus on five areas of assistance.   Answer regarding Success: What has the project done to bring about change, refer to what the relevant indicators show. Success:  - Impact - Sustainability - Contribution to Enabling Development Answer regarding Performance: What progress is being made by the project relative to its objectives and relevant indicators. Performance:  - Effectiveness - Efficiency Timeliness of inputs and results   Proposal for action to be taken in a specific circumstance including the parties responsible for the action, and/or view as to improve the project.  Refer to the effects of the project: Outputs, Outcomes and Impact describe more precisely the different types of results  Answer: Is the project valid and pertinent, reflect on what the relevant indicators show. Relevance:  - Target groups - Direct beneficiaries - Comparative advantages