This document summarizes a food security program in Malawi called Wellness and Agriculture for Life Advancement (WALA). The program aimed to reduce food insecurity for over 214,000 households. Key activities included improving maternal and child health, smallholder farming, and community capacity. The program was implemented by several organizations and involved conservation agriculture, village savings and loans, and direct food assistance. Lessons learned stressed the importance of clear targeting, planning, understanding of synergies between sectors, and monitoring mechanisms to promote integration across activities and organizations.

1. Wellness and Agriculture forLifeAdvancement A food security program supported by Food For Peace (2009-2014)

2. SO1: 170,724 vulnerable households have improved maternal and child health, and nutrition status SO2: 147,500 smallholder farminghouseholds have improved livelihood status Goal: Reduced food insecurity of 214,974 chronically food insecure households in 39 Traditional Authorities within five livelihood zones in Southern Malawi by 2014 SO 3: 273 targeted communities have improved capacity to withstand shocks and stresses 2

3. WALA Geographic Coverage PCI SAVE EI Africare Chikwawa diocese / CRS World Vision TLC Ref: MI_C06_Country

5. Finance/ Admin,

6. M&E,

7. Commodities & MonetizationTWG for each sector PM for each PVO implementing WALA

8. Communities Gov’t partners Other stakeholders Improved food & nutrition security SYNERGY … Poverty Exterminator!

11. Synergy 3: Nutrition in direct transitional food assistance to Chronically ill Transition of HHs supporting CI and OVCs from direct food assistance to self sufficient productive HHs Specific conservation Ag interventions including participation in irrigation schemes Participation of HHs in microenterprises Nutrition counseling, cooking demonstration and follow-up on their nutritional status

13. Staff lack of vision/ have no clear understanding on the project goal and their sectors contribution towards the program goal

14. Poor planning:

15. competition for resources-transport, money, time

16. Wrong view “we don’t need to plan for synergy. Synergy happens by itself”

19. Identifying activities for synergy that contribute to the common goal

20. Prioritizing key activities for synergy and taking into account the sequence of events

21. Develop detailed action plan

22. Deciding on monitoring indicators and mechanisms