Although the ARC Technical Assistance. Unit has provided extensive case by case technical assistance to specific countries (see Xxxxx X), they are three years behind in the execution of the pilot programs. FY07-FY08: Given the much shorter time (two years) that ARC now has to execute the pilot programs from start to end and the current priority being placed on building National Society capacity in Africa, ARC has selected three African countries (Mozambique, Ethiopia, and Lesotho) for pilot projects that are slated to start in FY07. Parallel to this activity the senior food program advisor, Xxxx Xxxxxx, is collaborating with the senior advisor for relief, Xxxxx Xxxxxx, of the International Disaster Response unit, in the design of a series of trainings on food security for the southern Africa Regional Disaster Response Teams (RDRT). To facilitate the realization of these activities: • The TAU, IDR, and IP units are collaborating on the recruitment and hiring of a new regional food program advisor who will be based in either Zimbabwe or Lesotho; • The IDR unit and TAU collaborated on a joint design and needs assessment mission in October 2006; • The IDR unit and TAU will need to collaborate and backstop one another on consolidation of the training modules that they will be using for the southern Africa regional training and pilot country training programs; and • The TAU is working with the IP unit on integrating a food component into some of the other longer term projects of the Mozambican Red Cross, especially HIV/AIDS home based care and possibly maternal and child health activities.
