evidence-based blog of Filippo Dibari

Posts Tagged ‘Agriculture/Nutritoin linkages’

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(free 3 h) Training: Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture Programming

In Under-nutrition on September 3, 2015 at 2:41 pm

from Agrilinks/USAID web site.

Overview

Welcome to USAID’s online training course on nutrition-sensitive agricultural programming! This comprehensive three-hour course is explicitly designed to support the Feed the Future nutrition-sensitive agricultural programming guidance. Developed by the Bureaus for Food Security and Global Health, the course introduces the fundamentals of nutrition-sensitive agriculture and provides guidelines for practitioners to use when designing programs that promote access to nutrient-rich foods and dietary diversity.

Modules (3 hours in total; may be completed over multiple sessions)

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A conceptual framework for understanding the impacts of agriculture and food system policies on nutrition and health

In Uncategorized on August 4, 2015 at 8:28 am

by Rebecca Kanter, Helen L. Walls, Mehroosh Tak, Francis Roberts, Jeff Waage

Food Security journal  – Volume 7, Issue 4 , pp 767-777

(download from Research Gate)

Abstract

Agriculture and food systems are important determinants of nutrition and consequent public health. However, an understanding of the links among agriculture, food systems, nutrition, public health and the associated policy levers, is relatively under-developed.

A framework conceptualizing these key relationships, relevant to a range of country contexts, would help inform policymakers as to how agriculture and food policy could improve nutrition and public health, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC).

The objectives of this paper are: to present a conceptual framework, relevant to a range of country contexts and focused on the policymaker as the user, which depicts the key relationships among agriculture, the food system, nutrition and public health; and to describe how the framework can be used for understanding the impacts of agriculture and food system policies on nutrition outcomes.

Existing conceptual frameworks, highlighting the relationships among agriculture, the food system, nutrition and public health (n  = 37) were identified, reviewed and categorized, based on the key themes they address.

Building on this analysis and synthesis a conceptual framework was developed that assists in identifying associated policy levers and their effects on elements of the framework. The end product is a conceptual framework that presents key domains linking agriculture and food systems to nutritional outcomes and public health. The framework is relevant to a range of contexts, for example low-, middle- and high-income settings; and to policymakers wishing to examine the potential direct and indirect impacts of agriculture and food system policies.

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Technical Brief | Global Panel: How can Agriculture and Food System Policies improve Nutrition?

In Under-nutrition on February 17, 2015 at 9:35 am

The Technical Brief | Global Panel is an independent group of influential experts with a commitment to tackling global challenges in food and nutrition security.

 Download the Technical Brief

 Download the Summary Brief

 Watch the animated video

TECHNICAL BRIEF

The multiple burdens on health created today for low and middle income countries by food-related nutrition problems include not only persistent undernutrition and stunting, but widespread vitamin and mineral deficiencies and growing prevalence of overweight, obesity and non-communicable diseases. These different forms of malnutrition limit people’s opportunity to live healthy and productive lives and impede the growth of economies and whole societies.

The traditional view that improving agricultural productivity will improve nutritional security is no longer tenable. Nor can nutrition-specific interventions or social protection programmes provide long term and sustainable nutrition for those most in need. More food is needed, and these specific interventions can help, but much more needs to be done to ensure that countries have agriculture and food systems that support a food environment that delivers healthy, diverse diets and supports nutrition outcomes.

The food environment from which consumers should be able to create healthy diets is influenced by four domains of economic activity:

  • agricultural production
  • markets and trade systems
  • consumer purchasing power
  • food transformation and consumer demand

In each of these domains, there are a range of policies that can have enormous influence on the nutritional outcomes. In this technical brief, we explain how these policies can influence nutrition, positively and negatively. We make an argument for an integrated approach, drawing on policies from across these domains, and the need for more empirical evidence to identify successful approaches.

This technical brief is accompanied by a policy summary, which captures its main points. Together, they represent the first of a range of outputs from the Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Systems for Nutrition, designed to guide decision-makers, particularly governments, on how to generate nutrition-enhancing agricultural and food policy and investment in low and middle income countries.

 

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Nature: “Global diets link environmental sustainability and human health”

In Over-nutrition, Under-nutrition on November 20, 2014 at 11:03 am

by David Tilman & Michael Clark

From Nature – 12 November 2014

Abstract

Diets link environmental and human health. Rising incomes and urbanization are driving a global dietary transition in which traditional diets are replaced by diets higher in refined sugars, refined fats, oils and meats.

By 2050 these dietary trends, if unchecked, would be a major contributor to an estimated 80 per cent increase in global agricultural greenhouse gas emissions from food production and to global land clearing.

Moreover, these dietary shifts are greatly increasing the incidence of type II diabetes, coronary heart disease and other chronic non-communicable diseases that lower global life expectancies.

Alternative diets that offer substantial health benefits could, if widely adopted, reduce global agricultural greenhouse gas emissions, reduce land clearing and resultant species extinctions, and help prevent such diet-related chronic non-communicable diseases.

The implementation of dietary solutions to the tightly linked diet–environment–health trilemma is a global challenge, and opportunity, of great environmental and public health importance.

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The Making of a Messenger: Engaging Extension and Advisory Service Providers in Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture | SPRING

In Under-nutrition on October 19, 2014 at 6:54 am

Date(s):  October 29, 2014 – from USAID web site

Agriculture extension agents are a valuable source of information and expertise for many small scale farmers across the globe. As global understanding builds around the linkages between agriculture and nutrition, efforts are currently underway to integrate activities promoting nutrition into agriculture extension programming in several Feed the Future countries. Join SPRING and the Modernizing Extension and Advisory Services (MEAS) project in a two-part webinar series exploring these efforts in Malawi and Ethiopia.

The first event, scheduled for October 29th at 9:00 a.m. EST, will focus on MEAS’s assessment of agricultural extension, nutrition education, and integrated agriculture-nutrition programs and systems in Malawi. The assessment aims to inform the design of an activity that will strengthen delivery of coordinated and integrated extension and nutrition outreach services in Malawi’s Feed the Future focus districts. Vickie Sigman, Independent Senior Agriculture Extension Specialist, will discuss the various programs and systems in place in Malawi to deliver integrated extension and nutrition outreach services. Service delivery constraints and possibilities for addressing existing constraints will aslo be highlighted. Paul McNamara, Director, Modernizing Extension and Advisory Services Project and Valerie Rhoe, Senior Technical Advisor at Catholic Relief Services, will serve as respondents as part of the presentation.

The second event is scheduled for November 13th at 9:00 a.m. EST and will examine SPRING’s recent work in Ethiopia. SPRING collaborated with the USAID Mission and several Feed the Future implementing partners  to document the experiences and coordination among Feed the Future partners utilizing public extension agriculture Development Agents (DAs) to deliver nutrition messages and interventions at the community-level. SPRING’s Social and Behavior Change Advisor, Ashley Aakesson, will discuss the processes, challenges, successes, and lessons learned from project staff, government staff including DAs, and community members, and ways current programming and coordination could be adjusted to improve nutrition outcomes.

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Call for Competitive Research Grants to Develop Innovative Methods and Metrics for Agriculture and Nutrition Actions

In Under-nutrition on October 4, 2014 at 4:01 pm

Innovative Metrics and Methods for Agriculture and Nutrition Actions (IMMANA) is a new £7.2m research partnership funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) and coordinated by LCIRAH.

The aim of IMMANA is to accelerate the development of a robust scientific evidence base needed to guide changes in global agriculture to feed the world’s population projected to hit nine billion by 2050 in a way that is both healthy and sustainable.

 

What’s new

30 September 2014: Call for Competitive Research Grants to Develop Innovative Methods and Metrics for Agriculture and Nutrition Actions (IMMANA Grants) is now open!
 

Download the call (closing: 21 November 2014)

Objectives

IMMANA aims to:

1) Develop scientific evidence to inform effective policies and investments in agriculture for improved nutrition and health

2) Engage with the research community to stimulate development of innovative methodological approaches and novel metrics

3) Train young researchers in developing and applying cutting-edge methods

4) Strengthen international interdisciplinary research collaborations for evidence-based policy making and programme design.

What we do

IMMANA consists of three main workstreams:

1) Competitive Research Grants to Develop Innovative Methods and Metrics for Agriculture and Nutrition Actions (IMMANA Grants) – the call for applications is now open (closing: 21 November 2014)

2) Post-Doctoral Fellowships for Emerging Leaders in Agriculture, Nutrition, and Health Research (IMMANA Fellowships) – launching soon!

3) Agriculture, Nutrition and Health Academy – a global research network in agriculture for improved nutrition and health to serve as a platform for learning, including an annual conference.

Who we are

Partners
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, UK – lead partner
Research Grants, Research Network

Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, USA
Research Fellowships

Leverhulme Centre for Integrative Research on Agriculture and Health (LCIRAH), part of the London International Development Centre (LIDC)
Coordination and delivery

SOAS, University of London, UK
Project advisors

Ibi Wallbank – IMMANA Project Coordinator
Administrator, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine/ LCIRAH
 

Contact us

Interested in IMMANA? Drop us a line!

IMMANA Partners

 

 

 

Funded by

IMMANA is funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID).

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