142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

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304114
Review of Country-Level Programming in Nutrition Sensitive Agriculture

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Sunday, November 16, 2014

Janice Meerman, MPP/MPH , United Nations Standing Committee on Nutrition, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
Marzella Wustefeld, PhD , United Nations Standing Committee on Nutrition, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
INTRODUCTION
Nutrition sensitive programmes are those that 1) address the underlying determinants of nutrition (food security, adequate sanitation, and proper caring practices) and 2) incorporate specific nutrition goals and actions. Agriculture is considered a prime candidate for nutrition sensitive programming.

APPROACH
A non-systematic review, or “landscaping”, of country-level nutrition sensitive agriculture programming was conducted. Twenty-one organizations – multi and bilaterals, research institutes, UN agencies, foundations, and international NGOs - participated. Methods consisted of a desk review of white and grey literature, email correspondence, and informant interviews.

RESULTS
Although there are multiple causal pathways through which agriculture is hypothesized to impact nutrition, all are based on a number of cross-cutting goals, namely:  empowerment of women, increased resilience to shocks, and social and behavioral change regarding dietary intake and nutrition. A variety of programming approaches are being applied based on these pathways. These include district and village-based initiatives using agriculture as a delivery platform for nutrition specific interventions; nutrition promoting value chains, locally supplied school feeding programmes; biofortification; national capacity development initiatives; and operational research.

DISCUSSION
These programs face a number of challenges to implementation, including identifying and reaching target populations, sustaining coordination between line ministries, building institutional capacity, and incorporating nutrition objectives and indicators in program planning and evaluation. The fundamental question that underlies each of these challenges is how to incentivize agriculture professionals to include nutrition in sector objectives aimed primarily at economic growth. This question holds policy relevance in developed as well as developing countries in regards to public sector approaches to food system regulation and reform.

Learning Areas:

Biostatistics, economics
Other professions or practice related to public health
Program planning
Public health or related organizational policy, standards, or other guidelines
Public health or related public policy

Learning Objectives:
Explain the causal pathways through which agriculture is hypothesized to impact nutrition. Describe how international institutions are attempting to support governments in nutrition sensitive agriculture-based programming in low and middle-income countries. Discuss the policy implications of these approaches.

Keyword(s): Food Security, Nutrition

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I work routinely on food security and nutrition issues, especially in regards to the intersection between agriculture and nutrition in low and middle-income countries. I have been lead or co-author of multiple publications focusing on the agriculture-nutrition nexus, and I have presented in symposiums and participated in committees focused on improving agriculture and nutrition linkages.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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