Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture
In recent years, much attention has been given to the connections between agriculture and nutrition in the development sector as a whole. These connections may seem obvious: we get nourishment from the food we eat, and we eat food produced by agriculture. However, the claim that agriculture interventions (e.g. home gardens) can improve nutrition has come under scrutiny, because of the lack of evidence to substantiate it (Masset et al. 2012; Girard et al. 2012).
At the same time, recent efforts have helped us to better understand these linkages and to begin to close the evidence gaps. Agriculture plays an indispensable role in development, and though it doesn’t automatically improve nutrition, its potential to do so is undeniable. The recent efforts have provided important frameworks for program design and for implementing agriculture interventions that aim to improve the nutrition of vulnerable populations. These frameworks for “nutrition-sensitive agriculture” interventions help us make sense of complex problems and identify pathways to solutions.
These “new ways” compel us to better understand the problem of malnutrition, to learn about the complexity of improving nutritional outcomes, to understand the role agriculture can play, and to collaborate across disciplines and sectors in order to design and implement interventions that can truly make an impact in improving the nutrition and well-being of the people we serve.
--- Cecilia Gonzalez, Understanding Agriculture-Nutrition Linkages
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29-01-2019 In recent years, much attention has been given to the connections between agriculture and nutrition in the development sector as a whole. These connections may seem obvious: we get nourishment from the food we eat, and we eat food produced by agriculture. However, the claim that agriculture...
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The SPRING Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture Training Resource Package is a collection of our very best training work, including presentations, activities, handouts, and session guides. Successful multisectoral training is key for developing the collaboration that nutrition-sensitive activities...
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Abstract,Journal of Development Effectiveness, 2018 The Realigning Agriculture for Improved Nutrition (RAIN) project was designed to address child undernutrition through a multisectoral approach which integrated agricultural diversification to improve access to nutritious foods, the promotion of...
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There are around 30,000 edible plant species in the world, but just 30 species of crop account for 95% of what we eat. Most edible plant species – known as neglected and underutilised species (NUS), or orphan crops – are overlooked in agricultural development. These crops are often nutrient rich...
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After three years of INGENAES activities, we have seenexciting achievements in empowering and engaging women and men smallholder farmers.Themany, diverse successes came out ofbuilding robust gender-responsive and nutrition-sensitive institutions, strengthening existing programs and projects to...
- Abstract,Global Food Security, 2018 Highlights Nutrition-sensitive agricultural programs (NSAP) improve a variety of nutrition outcomes in both mothers and children. They are more effective when they include nutrition and health behavior chance communication (BCC) and women’s empowerment...
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The case for investing in nutrition is clear. Poor nutrition during the first 1,000 days—from pregnancy through a child’s second birthday—can cause life-long and irreversible damage, with consequences at the individual, community, and national level. Multi-sectoral Approaches to Nutrition: When a...