Advocacy for enhanced nutrition: ASCINB’s committed voice in the CASCADE project

The Alliance de la Société Civile pour l’Intensification de la Nutrition au Bénin (ASCINB), under the leadership of its President, Dr. Jean-Louis Béziers, has decided to launch a new project to improve nutrition in Benin. Ir. Aurélien C. ATIDEGLA, led a week-long workshop dedicated to finalizing the CASCADE project’s advocacy strategy. This initiative mobilized almost fifty participants, including the project coordination team, the Fédération Nationale des Femmes Agricultrices du Bénin (FéNaFAB), partner NGOs, as well as the Food, Health and Nutrition Focal Points (ASN) from the prefectures and town halls of the twenty (20) communes where the project is being implemented, with a remarkable participation from representatives of the intercommunalités.

The workshop, held from February 27 to March 1, 2024 in Bohicon, was marked by four days of intense work during which participants refined the advocacy strategy. The strategy, which incorporates a detailed results framework, risk analysis and mitigation measures, as well as specific campaign messages, was praised by Dr. G. B. B., Chairman of the Board of Directors. Ir. Aurélien C. ATIDEGLA as a resounding success, underlining the quality of the presidium and the professionalism of the facilitation.

The co-construction methodology adopted during the workshop met with a broad consensus among participants, stimulating multi-stakeholder work. Rachidath SALIFOU, Nutrition Focal Point Abomey, stressed the importance of involving beneficiaries in the design of strategic and operational documents for the CASCADE project, and encouraged CARE Benin/Togo to continue in this direction.

Finalizing the advocacy strategy is a crucial step in the pursuit of CASCADE’s objectives. Stakeholder involvement strengthens their commitment to concerted action aimed at influencing nutrition policies and practices. What now remains to be done is to translate this involvement on the ground into transformative initiatives, to help improve access to healthy food for households, especially women of childbearing age and children, and increase resilience to climatic and economic shocks, as recommended by Edmond ZINZINDOHOUE, CASCADE Project Manager.

This ASCINB-led advocacy strategy co-construction workshop was a decisive step towards more effective nutrition interventions in Benin. It is now imperative that all players in the nutrition sector unite their efforts to implement the recommendations of this strategy, in order to achieve a tangible change in the nutritional health of the most vulnerable populations. The commitment of inter-communities is essential, as underlined by Bary Seydou B. M. TIDJANI, Mayor of Gogounou, who plans to budget for nutrition activities for the benefit of all.

Together, let’s build a better nutritional future for everyone! The involvement of all players in the nutritional chain involved in the project is essential in implementing the advocacy strategy, to facilitate access to healthy food and resilience to climatic and economic challenges for women and children.