Worldwide—Advisory Service Social Transfers (ASiST III) Programme

The Advisory Service in Social Transfers phase III programme (ASiST III) provides on-demand support to partner countries and European Union (EU) delegations in addressing food security through national social transfer schemes. Funded by the European Commission’s Directorate General for Development and Cooperation and led by DAI, ASiST III has completed more than 100 assignments since 2015, examining the roles of public financial management, sustainable agriculture, rural development, and other factors in social transfer programmes and resilience to food crises.

These services assist countries and EU delegations to maximise the impact of food security and social transfer programmes and to develop a graduation plan to move from short-term, emergency social transfers to systemic national safety net programmes. For country-specific requests, ASiST provides guidance throughout the project cycle management, including programme design and monitoring and evaluation. ASiST also provides technical assistance on strategic issues, such as building partnerships with other donors and projects and offering feedback on policy documents.

Sample Activities

• Support EU country delegations with programming, training courses, field visits, and participation in national seminars.
• Convene regional meetings of EU delegations around topics related to social transfers and food security.
• Develop a knowledge platform to promote collaboration and exchange lessons learned.
• Communicate the importance of social transfers to a wider audience and build partnerships with institutions working on related issues.

Select Results

• Conducted more than 100 assignments and led missions to more than 30 countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
• Designed social transfer programmes for pregnant women and infants, resilience interventions, and nutrition workshops.
• Advised on the use of cash-transfer safety net programmes as a means to bridge humanitarian interventions and development cooperation.