By the end of the training, participants will be able to:
– Understand the principles, policies, and institutional frameworks governing social protection and food safety net programmes.
– Design inclusive, nutrition-sensitive, and shock-responsive social protection interventions.
– Apply effective beneficiary targeting, food assistance, and cash transfer delivery mechanisms.
– Strengthen programme accountability through monitoring, evaluation, grievance redress, and digital management systems.
– Develop practical action plans for strengthening food safety net programmes within The Gambia.
Module 1: Foundations of Social Protection and Food Safety Nets
Training Focus: Understanding social protection systems and their contribution to food security, nutrition,
and poverty reduction.
1.1 Introduction to Social Protection
1.2 Social Protection Policies and Institutional Frameworks
1.3 Food Security, Nutrition and Resilience
1.4 Humanitarian–Development Nexus
Practical Exercise: Analyse an existing food safety net programme and identify opportunities for strengthening nutrition and resilience outcomes.
Module 2: Designing Effective Social Protection and Food Safety Net Programmes
Training Focus: Designing efficient, inclusive, and accountable programmes.
2.1 Programme Design
2.2 Beneficiary Targeting
2.3 Food Assistance and Cash Transfer Modalities
2.4 Digital Delivery Systems
Practical Exercise: Design a nutrition-sensitive food safety net programme for vulnerable households.
Module 3: Programme Implementation, Community Engagement and Accountability
Training Focus: Delivering effective, transparent, and community-centred programmes.
3.1 Programme Operations
3.2 Community Engagement
3.3 Accountability and Grievance Redress
3.4 Partnerships and Multi-sectoral Coordination
Practical Exercise: Develop a community engagement and accountability framework for a food assistance programme.
Module 4: Monitoring, Evaluation and Digital Innovations
Training Focus: Using evidence and technology to improve programme effectiveness.
4.1 Monitoring and Performance Measurement
4.2 Programme Evaluation
4.3 Digital Innovations
4.4 Knowledge Management
Practical Exercise: Develop a Monitoring and Evaluation Framework for a food safety net programme.
Module 5: Field Learning, Action Planning and Knowledge Transfer
5.1 Lessons from Kenyan Social Protection Programmes
Training Focus: Applying lessons from Kenyan social protection and food security programmes to
strengthen interventions in The Gambia.
5.2 Food Security and Community Resilience
5.3 Programme Adaptation for The Gambia
5.4 Action Planning and Group Presentations
Practical Exercise: Each group develops a National Social Protection and Food Safety Net Improvement Plan for implementation within The Gambia.
Practical Field Visits
The following are the field visits to be conducted on specific days: –
Day 4: Government Social Protection Systems
Visit the State Department for Social Protection and Senior Citizen Affairs and/or National Safety Net Programme (NSNP) to observe beneficiary targeting, programme administration, cash transfer systems, and social registry management.
Day 7: Community Food Security and Nutrition Programmes
Visit World Vision Kenya, Kenya Red Cross Society, or a county food security and nutrition programme to observe food assistance, community engagement, resilience initiatives, and nutrition-sensitive social protection.
Day 9: Digital Social Protection and School-Based Safety Nets
Visit an institution implementing school feeding programmes, a digital payment service provider (e.g., MPESA ecosystem), or a county social protection office to observe electronic payments, beneficiary verification, programme monitoring, and accountability systems.
Final Project
Throughout the programme, participants will work to develop a Social Protection and Food Safety Net
Strategy. The strategy will include:
• Situation analysis and vulnerability assessment.
• Programme design and beneficiary targeting.
• Food assistance and cash transfer mechanisms.
• Community engagement and grievance redress.
• Monitoring, evaluation, and learning framework.
• Institutional coordination and financing.
• Risk management and sustainability plan.
• Implementation roadmap aligned with World Bank-supported social protection and nutrition programmes.
