Production for Improved Nutrition (PIN)

Overview and Objectives

URC is a partner to RECO Industries, Ltd., supporting the production and distribution of therapeutic and supplementary foods to reduce malnutrition in vulnerable children, pregnant and lactating women, and adults living with HIV/AIDS in Uganda. The project focuses on increasing the range and market reach of the food products, improving product supply chain and quality management, sourcing crops from indigenous farmers, and promoting improved agricultural practices for smallholder farmers. URC is providing technical assistance primarily in the livelihoods/food security and monitoring and evaluation components of the project as well as in project management capacity building for RECO.

Under the USAID-funded Production for Improved Nutrition (PIN) project, URC is working to reduce under-nutrition in Uganda by supporting Reco Industries., Ltd. The goal of the five year Uganda PIN project is to reduce the burden of undernutrition among children, pregnant and breastfeeding mothers and people living with HIV/AIDS. The Uganda PIN project aims to increase local production of therapeutic and supplementary foods using raw inputs sourced from smallholder Uganda farmers; strengthen the supply chain for the distribution of these goods through public and private partnerships; improve the economic well-being of smallholder farming households through improved crop quality and market linkages; and expand access to essential services for orphans and vulnerable children. 

The Uganda PIN project builds on the successes of the URC-led NuLife project, which created local capacity to produce a ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF), established distribution systems through local health facilities, established programming protocols to address acute malnutrition, and piloted local sourcing of agricultural products from local farmers. Since 2012, PIN has supported the continued production of RUTF and expanded the line of specialized food products to include fortified, blended foods for infant and young child complementary feeding.

Under PIN, URC leads the project’s efforts to improve the economic well-being of smallholder farming households through improved crop quality and market linkages. URC-led activities focus on behavior change communication for agricultural livelihoods and improved household nutrition among small-holder farmers, quality improvement, and monitoring and evaluation for livelihoods interventions. The PIN project gives URC a unique opportunity to be at the forefront of the USAID Forward strategy in supporting a local partner to lead and execute a complex Feed the Future project.