SSNUP Technical Assistance Study

The report reviews the Smallholder Safety Net Upscaling Programme’s (SSNUP) use of technical assistance (TA) to support Agricultural Value Chain Actors (AVCAs) with the goal of strengthening the safety nets of smallholder households.

SSNUP is shown to be relevant: it aligns well with beneficiaries’ needs, covering financial, non-financial, internal management, and market-building services. It has also built good coherence among partners and leveraged existing impact investors. However, it falls short of its targets so far (in terms of number of smallholder households reached, TA projects delivered, and full budget utilisation). Key recommendations are to sharpen targeting, improve sustainability of project benefits, integrate Responsible Agricultural Investment (RAI) standards more systematically, and boost mechanisms to mobilise complementary investment.