Achieving sustainable nutrition for all
This policy paper (PDF) by SNV, Wageningen Centre for Development Innovation (W-CDI) and the Royal Tropical Institute (KIT) summarises a set of key policy programme recommendations based on evidence and learning of the Sustainable Nutrition for All (SN4A) programme. The SN4A programme seeks to improve nutrition outcomes by encouraging families to grow, and consume diverse food at the household level, particularly amongst women of reproductive age (WRA) and infants. This brief is based on three technical papers: 1) Multi-sectoral governance to address malnutrition; 2) Triggering for positive behaviour change in nutrition; 3) Intra-household dynamics and dietary diversity. Agriculture plays an undeniable role in supplying the diverse range of foods needed for a healthy diet. Nutrition sensitive agriculture helps improve dietary diversity in WRA and infant when they include nutrition social behaviour change communication (SBCC) and are designed to empower women. Further, to reach the most nutritionally vulnerable, communities need to be engaged in every stage. Improved vertical and lateral governane is key. Therefore, for governments it is recomended to ensure that the multi-sectoral platforms of the programme are replicated and aligned from national to subnational level to ensure community research. Also, improve monitoring and evalution at the sub-national level, and monitoring of nutrition activities embedded in district plans. Practitioners are recommended to support scalability of community driven SBCC nutrition strategies in different contexts as part of nutrition porgramming. Communities should be involved themselves in the planning, implementation and review on the nutrition programme and existing resources can be used to implement nutrition interventions. Innovations that could improve access, produce quality (nutritional value, and shelf-life), affordability, reduced labour and time burden should also be supported. Technical support is needed, for example, in good agricultural practices, use of labour saving technologies, promotion of local production, post-harvest processing and storage, safe food and hygiene practices. Resilience focused messages should be incorporated.