The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact that the Feed the Future Nutrition-led Agriculture Project for Food Security in Senegal (known as "Yaajeende") has had on reducing malnutrition and poverty in its intervention area.

This report details the findings, conclusions and recommendations of a mixed-methods quasi-experimental final impact evaluation (FIE) of the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) $50 million, seven-year Feed the Future Nutrition-Led Agriculture Project for Food Security in Senegal, known as “Yaajeende.” The National Cooperative Business Association’s Cooperative League of the USA (NCBA CLUSA) implemented the project. To combat poverty and child malnutrition, Yaajeende sought to accelerate the participation of the very poor in rural economic growth and improve the four dimensions of food security: availability, access, utilization and stability. Yaajeende worked in 790 villages across 49 municipalities (“communes” in French) and nine departments in the Matam, Tambacounda, Kédougou and Kolda regions. The project’s implementation period was November 1, 2010, to September 30, 2017.

The FIE aims to provide USAID with an evidence base on the impacts of the nutrition-led agriculture (NLA) approach that the project utilized on its key objectives, including reduced poverty and malnutrition. The findings are expected to provide accountability and learning value to USAID, including both the Senegal Mission and USAID/Feed the Future. Additional stakeholders include the Government of Senegal, implementing partners and other agencies, donors and practitioners active in nutrition, health, agriculture and integrated sectors.