Mar-June 2013

A s p e c i a l s e l e c t io n o f p u b l i c at i o ns o n fo o d a n d n u t r i t io n se c u r it y ( F N S ) h i g h l i g h t i n g i s s ue s o f re l e v a n ce fo r t h e Ca r ib b e a n , w h i c h c a n i n fo r m a n d c o n t r i b u t e t o t he po l i c y d i a l o g ue , fo r m u l at i o n an d i m p l e m e n t a t io n pr o ce s se s .
LINKING AGRICULTURE TO NUTRITION

Guiding Principles for Linking Agriculture and Nutrition: Synthesis from 10 Development Institutions Herforth, A. 2012 This synthesis document looks aims to provide a list of current guidance, institutional strategies and other publications released by international development institutions and inter-agency organisations on maximizing nutrition impact through agriculture. Its sterling point is that it synthesises some 20 main themes being purported for linking agriculture and nutrition, and articulates the central bases and messages within these themes. In this way, it is useful for quickly appraising both the vision and implementation of nutrition-related interventions in agriculture and agriculture policy. It also provides a detailed list of resources that can be referenced on the food and nutrition security issues, viewed within the context of broader multi-sector cooperation on the issue and with agriculture as an integrator in the process. <http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/wa_workshop/docs/Synthesis_of_AgNutr_Guidance_FAO_IssuePaper_Draft.pdf> for more info, go to: <www.fao.org/publications> and <publications-sales@fao.org> Women as the Nexus between Agriculture, Nutrition and Health: The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundations Thinking Ley, H.D. 2012 In order to optimize the nutrition outcomes in food systems, this brief suggests using women as primary participants in influencing the adoption of healthy and balanced diets, and lifestyles for improving nutrition and health at the household-level. Women are used as the nexus for linking agriculture, nutrition and health since they provide key roles as farmers and caregivers and are more likely than men to spend increased income on food and health. Policy and advocacy would therefore have to include the collaboration of the agriculture and nutrition sectors at a global and national level, national data sets which include agricultural data sets which collect agricultural data and nutrition variables and lastly, agriculture policy planning which incorporates nutrition and womens access to key resources . < http://www.genderinag.org/sites/genderinag.org/files/H.Ley%20presentation.pdf > contact: Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation:- <info@gatesfoundation.org>

An Introduction to Nutrition-Agriculture Linkages Chung, K. 2012 This report highlights agri-nutritional linkages at the household and intra-household levels and establishes several approaches for the integration of agriculture into nutrition programmes with the aim of increasing the nutrient intake of consumers. These included bio-fortification, agriculture based diet diversification and gendered approaches which influence. It also looks at linkages to health, identifying factors such as the transmission of diseases from animals to humans as it reduces food intake and leads to mal-absorption, and the proper use of agro-chemicals as it presents potential health risks to those working in agriculture as well as the possibility of groundwater contamination, harm to livestock and associated food products these requiring careful attention within the system of operation for nutrition security. Integrating facilities for agriculture and nutrition are advocated by encouraging the production and consumption of varied sources of micronutrients, usually through community-based programming which improves access to a diverse, high quality diet of fresh products. <http://fsg.afre.msu.edu/mozambique/WP72Chung.pdf> contact: Dr. Kimberly Chung < kchung@msu.edu > Michigan State University

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LINKING AGRICULTURE TO NUTRITION

Agriculture-Nutrition Linkages and Policies in India IFPRI 2012 This article highlights the findings from an evaluation of the impact of dietary diversification on several socio-economic indicators of linkages between agriculture and nutrition including the impact on education and psycho-social indicators. The study also looks at the well-being of women and children, and intrahousehold decision making which influences diet and nutrition security. It then proposes options for nutrition-sensitive agricultural development which supports the adoption of improved/more nutritious diets in the home as the basis for improving nutrition security levels. These development options focus on integrating agriculture with other sectors to create synergies for more effective policy implementation.

<http://www.ifpri.org/sites/default/files/publications/ifpridp01184.pdf > contact: <ifpri@cgiar.org> Leveraging Agriculture for Improving Nutrition and Health: Exploring the Agriculture-Nutrition Disconnect in India Gillespie, S. and Kadiyala, S. 2011 This document focuses on the practical linkage between nutrition and agriculture and attempts to map this interplay as the basis for both justifying greater investment as well as exploring areas of empirical disconnect between efforts for treating with agriculture development and malnutrition. It also identifies trends and indicators in nutrition outcomes, agricultural development and pathways between agriculture and nutrition which highlights a parallel slowing of the poverty reduction rate, epidemic of farmer suicides (indicative of deep agrarian distress), and virtual stagnation in nutrition outcomes nationwide highlight deep-rooted systemic problems. Therein, the need for evaluating the impact of agriculture on nutrition outcomes is highlighted since most studies on agriculture to date have tended to focus on agricultural productivity, incomes, and price trends, and not on the unit-level data that combine information on both nutrition and agriculture. <http://www.ifpri.org/sites/default/files/publications/2020anhconfbr20.pdf> contact: <ifpri@cgiar.org> Increasing the Nutritional Impacts of Agricultural Interventions Bonnard, P. 2012 This publication is the 5th in a series presenting trends and perspectives on future development patterns related to leveraging agriculture to support nutrition outcomes. The publication takes the approach of identifying global mega trends and game changers which shape market and political thinking as well as alternative world scenarios which show how these are likely to collectively affect governance, enterprising and human welfare. Agricultural issues actually feature prominently in the discussions (directly and indirectly) in the vulnerabilities of the potential impacts of economic instability on welfare issues such as employment, food and nutrition security as well as the growing scarcity, and thus competition for food, water and energy.

<http://globaltrends2030.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/global-trends-2030-november2012.pdf> Contact: Food and Nutrition Technical Assistance Project- Academy for Educational Development <fanta@aed.org> Visit: http://www.fantaproject.org

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LINKING AGRICULTURE TO NUTRITION

Nutrition and Agriculture: Agriculture Brief 6 of 12 Oshaug, A. and Haddad, L. 2010 This brief presents three 3 main strategies for leveraging agriculture in the treatment of malnutrition: raising agricultures impact on poverty and malnutrition; increasing the ability of farmers to meet changing consumer demands; and increasing the effective collaboration between agriculture and nutrition to create improved impact on nutrition and improved profits for farmers. Through these interventions, a more coordinated agriculture production system is advocated: one that more directly relates to market opportunities in improving nutrition security that link production to consumer demand. In this way crop selection, production systems and market development efforts support mutual interests of the farmer/producer and the consumer. Building a case for integrated thinking and action on nutrition security, the brief advocates cross-ministerial policies and programs for food and nutrition security. <http://globaltrends2030.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/global-trends-2030-november2012.pdf> Contact: Arne Oshaug <arne.oshaug@hiak.no> Lawrence Haddad <l.haddad@cgiar.org> Understanding the Links between Agriculture and Health Agriculture and Nutrition Linkages: Old Lessons and New Paradigms Hawkes, C. and Ruel, M. 2006 This article highlights 4 ways by which the agricultural sector can address under-nutrition; namely: increasing the accessibility of staple foods; raising agricultural incomes; increasing access to micro-nutrient rich foods; and empowering women. It also considers potential challenges and opportunities associated with these topics and gives consideration to the changing relationship between agriculture and nutrition. The document then proceeds to identify factors such as creating environments conducive to the treatment of obesity and diet-related chronic diseases, elevating the role of agricultural marketing in nutrition linkages, and increasing the impacts of food and nutritional demands on agriculture by advocating a sufficient supply of staples and micronutrient-rich foods without encouraging excessive consumption of energy-dense, nutrient poor foods. <http://www.ifpri.org/sites/default/files/publications/focus13.pdf> Contact: Corinna Hawkes <c.hawkes@cgiar.org> Marie Ruel <m.ruel@cgiar.org> Food Consumption and Nutrition Division at IFPRI Agriculture for Improved Nutrition and Health CGIAR This very interesting document focuses on realizing impact from agricultural policy and operational interventions on the level of food and nutrition security. To that end, impact pathways are identified as well as recommended actions which may be taken to generate outputs, outcomes and impacts along these pathways. Value chains, biofortification, the prevention and control of agriculture-associated diseases and the integration of agriculture, nutrition and health programs and policies are the main components of the strategy advocated for improving the impact of interventions for food and nutrition security. <http://www.cgiarfund.org/sites/cgiarfund.org/files/Documents/PDF/crp_4_Proposal.pdf> Contact: CGIAR <consortium@cgiar.org>

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