A new Transform Nutrition paper Drivers of nutritional change in four South Asian countries: a dynamic observational analysis by Derek Headey, John Hoddinott and Seollee Park is now available. [Read more…]
Transforming sectors
How to maximize the impacts of investments in agriculture, social protection and women’s empowerment on nutrition?
From market to mesob
An IFPRI blog by Kalle Hirvonen From market to mesob: Ensuring access to food is key to improving diets in Ethiopia highlights Transform Nutrition research in Ethiopia. This research finds that in order to improve diets in Ethiopia, policy makers have to ensure that caregivers have both access to nutritious foods and also the knowledge required to demand such foods. .
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.
How do we harness the nutrition potential of social protection programs in India?
This blog by Kalyani Raghunathan, IFPRI was previously posted on the POSHAN website.
The most recent data on India from the Rapid Survey of Children (2013-14) shows that there has been considerable improvement in undernutrition indicators in India in the 9 years that passed since the last round of available survey data, the 2005-06 National Family Health Survey (NFHS-3). However with almost 40% of children under the age of 5 still stunted, and almost 30% underweight, there is ample room for improvement. One of the ways in which this can be done is to use the vast array of social protection programs in India as platforms for delivery of nutrition-specific and sensitive interventions, as well as drivers of change in the underlying determinants of these indicators. [Read more…]
Behavioural Change for Improved Nutrition among Pastoralists (BCIN)
Project Summary
The Behavioural Change for Improved Nutrition among Pastoralists (BCIN) project focuses on research into behavioural aspects of maternal, infant and young-child feeding practices in pastoral households of Somali Regional State, Ethiopia. [Read more…]
The Other Asian Enigma
South Asia has long had persistent and unusually high rates of child undernutrition—the so-called Asian enigma. Yet Bangladesh has managed to sustain a rapid reduction in the rate of child undernutrition for at least two decades. How? [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

Every dollar spent on childhood nutrition can save up to $166
The Guardian reports that Professor Susan Horton from University of Waterloo and professor John Hoddinott, from Cornell and Transform Nutrition Research Director have written a cost-benefit analysis of nutrition interventions aimed at reducing stunting; they conclude every dollar spent on nutrition in the first 1,000 days of a child’s life can give a saving of an average $45 (£28) and in some cases as much as $166.
The Other Asian Enigma: Explaining the rapid reduction of malnutrition in Bangladesh
South Asia has long been synonymous with persistent and unusually high rates of child undernutrition—the so-called Asian enigma. Yet contrary to this stereotype, Bangladesh has managed to sustain a rapid reduction in the rate of child undernutrition for at least two decades. In a new discussion paper funded by LANSA and Transform Nutrition The Other Asian Enigma: Explaining the rapid reduction of malnutrition in Bangladesh we aim to understand this success.