Cash 'plus' - Integrated Nutrition and Social Cash Transfer (IN-SCT) Pilot in Ethiopia: perceptions and feedback from clients and service providers

Abstract

The Integrated Nutrition Social Cash Transfer (IN-SCT) pilot project is embedded within phase 4 of Ethiopia’s Productive Safety Net Programme phase 4 (PSNP4), and is being implemented in four PSNP woredas, two in Oromia region and two in SNNPR. Since 2005, PSNP has delivered support to millions of rural households throughout rural Ethiopia, in the form of temporary employment (Public Works), unconditional cash transfers (Direct Support), and asset transfers. Several evaluations have confirmed that the PSNP has improved household food security and protected productive assets against distress sales. However, impacts on nutrition have been limited.

Several innovations have been introduced on PSNP4 to enhance programme outcomes, specifically in terms of child nutrition. Most significantly: (1) Permanent Direct Support (PDS) clients now receive payments all year instead of only 6 months per year; (2) pregnant and lactating women (PLW) and caregivers of malnourished children are moved from Public Works (PW) to Temporary Direct Support (TDS); (3) co-responsibilities have been introduced for TDS and PDS clients, particularly to strengthen linkages between PSNP with health care and other social services.

The IN-SCT pilot aims to support increased uptake of social services by PSNP households; improved knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of DS households in terms of nutrition, hygiene, health, education and child protection; the implementation of nutrition-sensitive components of PSNP4; and cross-sectoral collaboration between a range of stakeholders at regional, woreda and local levels.