A new Transform Nutrition discussion paper is now out The impact of Ethiopia’s Productive Safety Net Programme on the nutritional status of children: 2008–2012. Ethiopia’s Productive Safety Net Programme (PSNP) is a large-scale social protection intervention aimed at improving food security and stabilizing asset levels. In this paper, we examine the impact of the PSNP on children’s nutritional status over the period 2008–2012 and these findings, along with work by other researchers, have informed revisions to the PSNP.
A mobile health application to manage acute malnutrition
Community based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) is a proven high-impact and cost-effective approach in the treatment of acute malnutrition in developing countries. However, success is limited if treatment protocols are not followed, record keeping and data management is poor and reliable data is not available in time for decision makers.
There is strong evidence that mobile device based (mHealth) applications can improve frontline health workers’ ability to apply CMAM treatment protocols more effectively and to improve the provision of supply chain management. A new Transform Nutrition working paper is now available A mobile health application to manage acute malnutrition Lessons from developing and piloting the app in five countries which we hope will inform future mobile health projects.
Social accountability initiatives in health and nutrition: lessons from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh
In SouthAsia, social accountability practitioners have been addressing failures in the ‘standard’ health and nutrition model. What can we learn from them? New research report Social accountability initiatives in health and nutrition: lessons from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh from Transform Nutrition and the Institute of Development Studies.
Challenging dominance: identity politics in the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Programme, India
By Shilpa Deshpande, PhD Candidate, Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex
Ten years before I joined the ICDS as an anganwadi worker, my cousin mother-in-law used to work here. At that time, the division of the village population between anganwadi workers was such that lower caste households were served by my mother-in-law whereas only the higher caste households were served by Lata madam, this was her rule….so… my mother-in-law’s field area was scattered across the village. Then when I joined, Lata madam said that just like my mother-in-law I should be given the lower caste communities. I refused…. I said give me any part of the village but I want half and I want it along a continuous line then only will I be able to work. This led to a fight, which continued for several days.
Meena, Anganwadi worker [Read more…]
What factors influence community nutrition workers in performing their jobs? Preliminary findings from Bihar, India
by Aparna John, PhD candidate, Institute of Development Studies at University of Sussex
Child undernutrition rates in India are among the highest in the world (Raykar et.al, 2015). Despite the decline in undernutrition indicators such as stunting (low height for age), underweight (low weight for age) and wasting (low weight for height), India is home to 40 million stunted and 17 million wasted children. The Government of India has invested in efforts to reduce childhood undernutrition and improve maternal and child health through one of its flagship programmes — the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme. ICDS, the world’s largest community nutrition programme, is delivered by 1.34 million village based female workers, Anganwadi workers (AWWs). [Read more…]
Children’s diets and access to markets in Ethiopia
Chronic undernutrition in Ethiopia is widespread and many children consume highly monotonous diets. To improve feeding practices in Ethiopia, a strong focus in nutrition programming has been placed on improving the nutrition knowledge of caregivers. In this new Transform Nutrition/ Ethiopia Strategy Support Programme working paper Children’s diets, nutrition knowledge, and access to markets , the impact of improving nutrition knowledge within households and its complementarity with market access is considered.
Public-Private Partnerships and the Reduction of Undernutrition in Developing Countries
This Transform Nutrition discussion paper Public-Private Partnerships and the Reduction of Undernutrition in Developing Countries brings structure to the discussion of private-sector engagement in nutrition. It clarifies different models of engagement, reviews the evidence base on public-private partnerships (PPPs) for the reduction of undernutrition, and outlines some potential ways forward.
Stories of Change in Nutrition: A Tool Pool
A new discussion paper Stories of Change in Nutrition: A Tool Pool draws on inputs to, and discussions at, a ‘Stories of Change in nutrition’ methods development workshop. It highlights the various concepts, methods, and tools that researchers are considering to measure nutrition-relevant change in their respective countries. The focus is on nutrition-relevant policy and practice. [Read more…]
An analysis of trends and determinants of child undernutrition in Ethiopia
A working paper has been published by the Ethiopia Strategy Support Programme (ESSP) and funded by Transform Nutrition An analysis of trends and determinants of child undernutrition in Ethiopia, 2000‐2011. This report uses two rounds of the Ethiopian Demographic Health Survey (EDHS) to statistically analyze patterns and trends in undernutrition (child growth) in Ethiopia over 2000 to 2011.
Agricultural production and children’s diets: Evidence from rural Ethiopia
A working paper has been published by the Ethiopia Strategy Support Programme (ESSP) and funded by Transform Nutrition Agricultural production and children’s diets: Evidence from rural Ethiopia in which the relationship between pre-school children’s food consumption and household agricultural production is studied.
