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Institutional Capacity Building
FEG has significant experience in institutionalizing new systems and building local partner capacity to maintain programs in the long-term. FEG’s core members helped found livelihoods-based national early warning systems in Southern Sudan, Somalia and Malawi. In Ethiopia, FEG is currently institutionalizing a livelihoods-based early warning system (the LIU) within the government’s Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Agency (DPPA). In its long-term association with FEWS NET, FEG has worked with the Comite Permanent Inter Etat de Lutte Contre La Secheresse au Sahel (CILSS) to build capacity amongst local partners.
Details on some of FEG’s work in institutional capacity building:
Livelihoods Integration Unit (LIU) – The Livelihoods Integration Unit is part of the Early Warning department of the Ethiopian Disaster Prevention and Prevention Agency (DPPA). At the heart of the project is building the technical capacity of national and regional level DPPA staff in the application of livelihoods and coping strategies information to predict and monitor the results of shocks. The LIU is conducting trainings, developing local trainers and training materials; establishing a nation-wide comparable set of regional livelihoods baselines; integrating these baselines into the existing early warning system; and gaining general agreement around national standards for livelihoods-based early warning and emergency food and non-food assessment. The project has developed a system of progressive certification in Household Economy Analysis to an international standard – from fieldwork skills to baseline data analysis to scenario-building.
Malawi National Vulnerability Assessment Committee (VAC) - FEG technical leadership in Malawi under FEWS NET is an example of long-lasting effectiveness in the areas of capacity building and institutional strengthening in response to local needs. From 2001 – 2004, FEG worked hand-in-hand with the Malawi National Vulnerability Assessment Committee (VAC) to build a national early warning system based on livelihoods analysis. FEG provided training of core teams, implemented livelihoods field work. Once the livelihoods baseline was established, FEG supported ongoing monitoring of key parameters and monthly food security reporting, developed a Malawi-specific scenario analysis tool, and helped initiate a method for cash-needs analysis.
Capacity-building in the Southern Africa Region- In partnership with Save The Children -UK, FEG has developed comprehensive Household Economy Analysis toolkits separately for field practitioners and for decision makers . This work was commissioned be the Southern Africa Regional Hunger and Vulnerability Project (funded by DFID). The manuals are designed for use by Government, NGO and international agency staff involved in vulnerability assessment and analysis in Southern Africa. The materials are also intended to be used for trainings and courses to be provided by the proposed ‘Regional Centre of Excellence’ at the University of KwaZulu Natal.
