RSPN-EU Programme for Improved Nutrition in Sindh (PINS)

Government of Sindh (GoS) through the Planning and Development Department (PDD) is implementing a six-year, from 2016 to 2021, multi-sectoral Sindh Accelerated Action Plan for Reduction of Stunting and Malnutrition (AAP), with the objective of reducing stunting rate from the existing 48 percent to 40 percent by 2021. The European Union (EU), under the EU Commission Action Plan on Nutrition 2014, is supporting GoS in addressing the issue of malnutrition. European Union has approved the Programme for Improved Nutrition in Sindh (PINS) to be implemented in ten districts of Sindh. PINS will build upon the social mobilisation approach to community-driven development (CDD) of RSPN and RSPs under the EU-supported Sindh Union Council and Community Economic Strengthening Support (SUCCESS) Programme and GoS supported Union Council Based Poverty Reduction Programme (UCBPRP).

OVERALL OBJECTIVE

The overall objective of PINS is to sustainably improve the nutritional status of children under five and of pregnant and lactating women (PLWs) in Sindh corresponding to the second target indicator of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) No 2.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE

PINS’ specific objective is to focus on capacitating the Government of Sindh so that it may efficiently implement its multi-sectoral nutrition policy while providing direct assistance to significantly and rapidly reduce malnutrition in rural Sindh.

GEOGRAPHIC COVERAGE

PINS is a four-year programme that will be implemented across ten districts of Sindh: Shikarpur, Thatta, Kambar Shahdadkot, Larkana, Dadu, Jamshoro, Matiari, Sajawal, Tando Allahyar and Tando Muhammad Khan.

EXPECTED RESULTS

Expected Result (ER) 1

The Technical Assistance (TA) component will be implemented by Counseil Sante, an international organisation in partnership with SOFRECO and Prime Foundation. ER-1 focuses on enhancing capacity of the Government of Sindh and other stakeholders regarding nutrition-related policy/strategy development, coordination, implementation, adaptive research, data collection/analysis and communication.

• Develop and update a dedicated Sindh multi-sectoral nutrition policy and strategic framework
• Analyse and propose needed policy updates for decision making by the Sindh Government in consultation with relevant stakeholders
• Design a research agenda designed and partly implemented
• Design and implement a multi-sectoral and integrated strategy for raising awareness
• Support the dedicated Sindh nutrition policy and strategic framework with effective policy dialogue
• Strengthen Nutrition policy and coordination platforms
• Review ongoing social security programmes to ensure that they are more nutrition sensitive
• Reinforcement of technical and managerial capacities of key actors involved in the development, approval, management and implementation of dedicated Sindh nutrition policy and strategic framework/li>
• Strengthen provincial financial procedures and improve provincial nutrition-specific information management systems

Additionally, the TA will address the following cross-cutting issues: Gender, Migration, Rights-based Approach and the Environment, Resilience and Disaster Risk Reduction.

Expected Result (ER) 2

This component covers nutrition-specific interventions and is being led by Action Against Hunger Pakistani. The following will be focused upon under ER-2:

• Treatment of Malnutrition – Identify Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) and administer outpatient therapeutic programme care to nutrition stabilisation centres according to protocols – in health facilities supported by an outreach programme to screen children and women
• A referral system for children’s follow up
• Infant Young Child Feeding (IYCF) for preventive work at facilities, particularly for children with Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM)
• Behaviour Change Communication programme for improved nutrition
• Nutrition-specific sanitation and feeding practices

Expected Result (ER) 3

This component includes nutrition-sensitive interventions i.e. Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and Agriculture & Food Security (AFS). RSPN is the lead for this component with Action Against Hunger, Sindh Rural Support Organisation, National Rural Support Programme and Thardeep Rural Development Programme as implementing partners. The ER-3 component will focus on the following:

• Improve community-level access to safe drinking water and improved sanitation
• Capacitate communities to practice for climate resilient small-scale kitchen gardening, integrated community farming through training, provision of inputs and technical oversight
• Enable communities for food diversification through livestock, poultry and fisheries focused interventions
• Improve crop production through introduction of climate-smart crop production technologies, training and provision of inputs
• Empower community institutions to develop and implement disaster risk reduction plans and reduce the impacts of floods and drought at local level