Cote d'Ivoire Country Programme (2017-2020)

Côte d’Ivoire is a middle-income country recovering from a decade of conflict and a post-electoral crisis in 2010/11 that caused major displacements into neighbouring countries. Subsequent political, economic and security improvements have enabled the return of refugees and internally displaced people to their areas of origin and a shift of interventions from relief to recovery and development.

Poverty affects 46.5 percent of the population, particularly in northern and northeastern areas. Food insecurity is greatest in northern and western rural areas, particularly among households headed by women. Poverty, food insecurity, inadequate nutrition practices and poor living conditions in the north contribute to the chronic malnutrition rate of 40 percent observed in northern regions. Recurrent climate shocks, variable rainfall and limited productive capacity exacerbate vulnerability and drive the need for recovery and social-protection services.

Country programme 200960 will support the Government in preventing malnutrition and establishing a sustainable social-protection system through: i) distribution of fortified blended foods to children aged 6–23 months to address chronic malnutrition, and conditional cash-based transfers to promote access to health services for pregnant and lactating women; ii) enhancement of resilience through the creation of assets to protect the environment, increase the production of nutritious food and restore livelihoods, while ensuring equal outcomes for women and men; and iii) increases in school enrolment and attendance rates, especially for girls.