1. If you were designing an agricultural investment programme, what are the top 5 things you would do to maximize its impact on nutrition?
I also like the ICYN guidelines:
- assess the situation and needs of the targeted population
- harmonize with existing programming, leveraging LCSO activities and utilizing current best practices
- design an effective social and behavior change communication strategy with a focus on individual, household and community behaviors
- train and build local capacity to take over and sustain the program,and
- develop measurable targets, monitoring progress to the outcome; adjust targets or program direction at mid-point or earlier if necessary
2. To support the design and implementation of this programme, where would you like to see more research done, and why?
We need to develop definitions and measures for nutrition-sensitive activities taking place in the context of larger, non-nutrition activities (like livelihoods, value chain development, education etc.). We understand the pathway to improved nutrition (processes, activities, actions), but not so much the output and outcome indicators. Also, research needs to be done on developing secondary 'nutrition-specific' objectives for 'nutrition-sensitive' activities. What is the cost and value-added of nutrition-sensitive in complementary development sectors?
3. What can our institutions do to help country governments commit to action around your recommendations, and to help ensure implementation will be effective?
Help them understand nutrition across sectors, and assist them in developing a corps of nutrition-minded professionals in agriculture, health and education. Enable to see that their investments in nutrition are smart, high-return actions that will be leveraged by donors and institutions.
1. If you were designing an agricultural investment programme, what are the top 5 things you would do to maximize its impact on nutrition?
I also like the ICYN guidelines:
- assess the situation and needs of the targeted population
- harmonize with existing programming, leveraging LCSO activities and utilizing current best practices
- design an effective social and behavior change communication strategy with a focus on individual, household and community behaviors
- train and build local capacity to take over and sustain the program,and
- develop measurable targets, monitoring progress to the outcome; adjust targets or program direction at mid-point or earlier if necessary
2. To support the design and implementation of this programme, where would you like to see more research done, and why?
We need to develop definitions and measures for nutrition-sensitive activities taking place in the context of larger, non-nutrition activities (like livelihoods, value chain development, education etc.). We understand the pathway to improved nutrition (processes, activities, actions), but not so much the output and outcome indicators. Also, research needs to be done on developing secondary 'nutrition-specific' objectives for 'nutrition-sensitive' activities. What is the cost and value-added of nutrition-sensitive in complementary development sectors?
3. What can our institutions do to help country governments commit to action around your recommendations, and to help ensure implementation will be effective?
Help them understand nutrition across sectors, and assist them in developing a corps of nutrition-minded professionals in agriculture, health and education. Enable to see that their investments in nutrition are smart, high-return actions that will be leveraged by donors and institutions.