The Nutrition Cluster in Zimbabwe Operating in a Transitional Environment

1. The Nutrition Cluster in ZimbabweOperating in a Transitional Environment Global Cluster Meeting Nairobi, Kenya 23 March 2011

2. Background – Basic Indicators • Population: ~13 Million • HDI rank: 169/169 • Life expectancy at birth: 47 • HIV prevalence (15-49): 13.7% • Under-five Mortality: 96/1000 • Maternal Mortality: 790/100,000 • Stunting: 34% • GAM: 2.4%

3. Background – Basic Indicators

4. Background – The Crisis • Late 1990’s: Unprecedented decline in the economy, infrastructure, food security, and delivery of basic social services • Early 2009: The situation peaks • Inflation in the trillions • Unemployment > 80% • Cholera outbreak affected 100,000 people • Half the population required food assistance • Civil servants salaries reduced to nothing - flight

5. Background – The Causes • Recurring Drought • HIV/AIDS • Controversial Land Reform • Politically motivated violence • Dispute over 2008 election results • Sanctions (ZANU Position) • Persons • Parastatals • Government Significant Implications for funding flows

6. Background – The “Transition” • Late 2008: Power sharing agreement • Early 2009: Government of National Unity • Late 2009 to Present • Currency stabilized - dollarization • Food assistance requirements drop – improved harvest • Basic social service infrastructure improving –health retention scheme • Outbreaks, but not at levels experienced in 2008 and 2009 Joint Early Recovery Opportunities Assessment (JROA) Project • Donor interest is shifting from humanitarian to development funding streams (ECHO – EU) • Emergence of “sector” coordination mechanisms alongside clusters (WASH, Health) • Evolution of “transitional” funding mechanisms such as the Education Transition Fund and Health Transition Fund

7. Background – The “Transition ?”

8. The Nutrition Situation • Chronic Malnutrition: 34% • Global Acute Malnutrition: 2.4% • Exclusive Breastfeeding: 6% • Minimal Acceptable Diet: 8% • Meal Frequency: 28% • Dietary Diversity: 31% • Adequate FCS: 67% • Prevalence of Diarrhea: 13% • Cough: 15% • Fever: 14% • Significant Differences: Sex, Residence, Socio-economics

9. The Crisis and NutritionDefying Standard Emergency Metrics Identified as top priority in the 2011 CAP - perceived as medium to long-term need

10. The Nutrition Cluster in ZimbabweResponding to Needs • Dual mandate by design – near, medium, and long term programming • Co-chaired by the Head of the National Nutrition Department Objective:Support the government in the coordination of efforts to achieve optimal nutritional status for all Zimbabweans Result 1: Improved situational analysis and planning; Result 2: Improved information sharing and accountability; Result 3: Improved technical capacity; Result 4: Increased visibility and resources for programming; and, Result 5: More effective emergency response

11. From Cluster to Sector Coordination • Nutrition Cluster uniquely positioned: dual mandate + co-leadership by government = evolution to sector coordination • Cluster coordinator’s role is evolving into a TA role – Build coordination capacity within established government entities • Priority 1: Food and Nutrition Council (cross-sector coord) • Priority 2: National Nutrition Department (intra-sector coord)

12. Priority 1: Cross-Sector CoordinationFAO, WFP, UNICEF Collaboration • Commits all stakeholders to the UNICEF Conceptual Model for Causes of Malnutrition as an Organizing principle • Provides a platform for development of a national food and nutrition policy – currently under development • Provides an institutional framework for multi-sector analysis and coordination moving forward

13. Priority 1: Cross-sector CoordinationInstitutional Framework Cabinet (Finance, Etc.) MoA MoLSS Etc. Task Force Food and Nutrition Council ZimVac Nutrition Health Agriculture WASH Social Protection

14. Priority 1: Cross-sector CoordinationInstitutional Framework Cabinet (Finance, Etc.) UN Heads Donors NGO Government MoA MoLSS Etc. Task Force SAG Food and Nutrition Council Technical Advisors (2) FNSAU ZimVac Nutrition Health Agriculture WASH Social Protection Food and Nutrition Policy and Strategic Framework Direct Nutrition Interventions

15. Priority 2: Intra-sector CoordinationNational Nutrition Unit Cabinet Donors Food and Nutrition Taskforce Minister of Health Champions Permanent Secretary Provincial Medical Directors Principal Director (Preventive) Principal Director (Curative) Principal Director (Policy and M&E) NND IMCI RH HIV/TB Etc. Etc.

16. Priority 2: Intra-sector CoordinationNational Nutrition Unit Cabinet Donors Food and Nutrition Taskforce Minister of Health Champions Permanent Secretary Provincial Medical Directors Principal Director (Preventive) Principal Director (Curative) Principal Director (Policy and M&E) NND IMCI RH HIV/TB Etc. Etc. National Nutrition Strategy and Accountability Framework

17. Key Achievements – 2009 to Present

18. Key Challenges • Donor interest and funding (ECHO) • Evolving funding modalities (pooled funds) • Lack of consensus regarding status of the emergency • Humanitarian space vs. Government leadership • UNICEF • Segregation of duties (coordinator is taking on traditional UNICEF leadership roles) • Conflicting priorities • No dedicated budget • No support personnel

19. Final Thoughts • Different clusters may be responding to very different emergencies – E.g. WASH, Protection, Nutrition • Clusters must evolve to accommodate the context – beware of over-standardization • Standard emergency metrics may impede our ability to respond to actual needs and raise monies in protracted contexts • Fit the CAP to the situation, rather than fit the situation to the CAP