The USAID Urban Gardens Program is an urban agriculture project in high HIV/AIDS prevalence areas supporting low-income women and children. It teaches simple micro-irrigation and gardening techniques, small livestock rearing, fruit tree growing and OVC care and nutrition at the household level. The project works in selected urban areas of Addis Ababa, Bahir Dar, Gondar, Dessie, Adama, and Awassa. In 2010 the program will expand existing areas and begin expansion to surrounding areas.

The project aims to empower targeted households to grow their own food, improve their nutrition, generate income through the sale of surplus food, and realize alternative livelihoods. The previous Urban Garden project developed the skills of beneficiaries, enabling them to increase production and family income; increased production by installing drip irrigation systems that use 50% less water and labor than normal gardens; and encouraged the sick and elderly to participate in activities. Beneficiaries receive sustainable water systems, appropriate sustainable irrigation systems, chickens, small ruminants, fruit trees and training in vegetable cultivation, organic crop fertilization, natural crop protection, irrigation management techniques, small ruminants and chicken rearing, fruit tree cultivation, nutrition and OVC care and treatment.

The USAID Urban Garden Program will also increase assertiveness and confidence of orphans, HIV+ women and families to work together, share views and support each other, helping to minimize stigma and discrimination and leading to social acceptance of the children and female household heads. In addition, market associations, savings and loan programs and advocacy skill development will be part of the program to ensure sustainability of life skills and assure land for gardens.

The Urban Garden Program will reach 7,500 new households, 26,250 new OVCs. Under the program garden activities not only ensure nutritious food but also provide income for the beneficiary households. DAI coordinates the Urban Gardens Program with a network of NGOs operating in the same target areas with the same populations to achieve comprehensive services.

This activity will work with other PEPFAR Ethiopia partners working in OVC care and support, ART and PMTCT to improve referrals for OVC-headed households between partners. It collaborates on all program areas with 23 sub-partners that have successful HIV/AIDS care networks, and/or successful urban agricultural and market development activities in the target communities. It will work with the PEPFAR APS recipient to ensure the most efficient use of OVC resources.

For COP 2010, the activity will increase outreach to households with HIV and AIDS-affected orphans and vulnerable children, particularly female and orphan-headed households. The plan will include identifying OVC beneficiaries, in keeping with PEPFAR Ethiopia guidance; linking with ongoing PEPFAR Ethiopia OVC programs; working with local partners to develop sustainable water sources that are inline with environmental standards; advocating with kebele, relevant local government and private landlords concerning access and use of urban land for long-term sustainability; identifying and developing markets where produce can be sold; facilitating access to savings and improving business, budgeting, management and gardening skills of program beneficiaries; and maintaining and strengthening relationships with government at national, regional and levels.

Monitoring of the program will be done regularly through analysis of project reports and through field visits to determine whether program implementation is proceeding according to plan. Monitoring and evaluation of the program will also be used to find out any problems and correct them in a timely manner.

Though there is geographical overlap between DAI and other PEPFAR funded food and nutrition programs, such as, WFP and FBP, there is no overlap in activities since DAI is not involved in any food distribution but rather is building the capacity of the beneficiaries to produce food. WFP and FBP can refer beneficiaries to DAI for sustainable livelihoods after they graduated form the food support programs.

The Urban Gardens program was designed in such a way as to be cost efficient. The major constraint in the program implementation is shortage of land and water. The program is using these limited resources in an efficient way. They by applying drip irrigation technology to use the available water effectively and reduce costs of piped municipal water. To solve the land shortage, the program is using containers, such as, pots, old tires, and bags that can be placed in small spaces at beneficiary houses. These actions are reducing overall costs of the program and for the beneficiaries.

The USAID Urban Gardens Program provides nutrition support and economic strengthening through urban agriculture. OVC and their caretakers are trained in home gardening and develop, maintain and harvest gardens in group plots on local land or in schools. Through community discussion groups, training is provided in nutrition, HIV/AIDS, and other relevant topics. Referrals are made to local health services. Linkages are maintained with WFP and other food programs to ensure access to nutritious food. The gardens provide food and nutrition, as well as psychosocial support to OVC and their caretakers.

The program focuses on OVC (0-17) and women who care for OVC in Addis Ababa, Dessie, Gondar, Bahirdar, Adama and Awassa. In COP 2010 the program will strengthen its impact in current cities and expand to neighboring areas. Community support is increased by building networks, and working in groups. Families and households gain improved nutrition and increased incomes. Working through local NGOs allows the program to reach appropriate beneficiaries. Linking with other PEPFAR partners has provided linkages to local resources for nutrition education and access to other needed services. Field fairs have increased awareness among communities about the importance of vegetables, and strengthened government support.

The biggest challenges have been consistent access to water and land. A variety of approaches will be implemented to ensure sustainable water sources and irrigation methods will be designed according to the locations of the gardens. Each implementing partner will receive cash and in-kind grants to reach at least 215 beneficiaries. The focus will be on expanding group gardens and building opportunities for community building. After a year, the beneficiaries will be transitioned away from project support through a series of training and savings activities that will enable them to continue their own gardens without outside assistance. During the transition phase they will receive training in micro gardening, support for their savings activities, and assistance in business skills and marketing. At the end of the period, they will receive a certificate of graduation from the USAID Urban Gardens Program.