Beneficiary Assessment of Food Security Project

This study was conducted to assess the impact of the SPFS using the Beneficiary Assessment (BA) methodology. The BA is a qualitative analysis of the interventions as perceived by the beneficiaries. The study took place during November and December 2008 and some 18 communities were visited and 70 beneficiaries and 32 non-beneficiaries were interviewed, in addition to a focus group discussion session in each site. The study findings indicated that the implementation of the irrigation systems has been successful in Lower Atbara and in North Kordofan. Interviewed beneficiaries are satisfied with the improvement of their crop production which contributed significantly in reducing the food insecurity situation they used to face before. Consequently, the crop production and productivity have evidently increased and many new crops and improved varieties were introduced in all areas. In West Omdurman the project failed to improve food security: the interventions faced several difficulties, including inter alia the disruption in water supply due to the frequent pumps or generators breakdowns and technical problems, difficulty in having and accessing credit other than the SPFS provisions.