HOMESTEAD FOOD PRODUCTION: A MULTI-SECTORAL INTERVENTION TO ADDRESS MALNUTRITION

20January,2015

Framework for actions to achieve optimum fetal and child nutrition and development*

*2014 Black Maternal and child undernutrition and overweight in low‐income and middle‐income countries

Interventionsorprogramsthataddresstheunderlyingdeterminantsoffetalandchildnutritionanddevelopment(food,care,health)andincorporatespecificnutritiongoalsandactions.

Nutrition‐sensitiveprogramscanserveasdeliveryplatformsfornutrition‐specificinterventions,potentiallyincreasingtheirscale,coverageandeffectiveness.

Nutrition‐sensitive Interventions and Programs*

*2013 Lancet

Conceptual framework of the relationship between household food production strategies and health and nutrition outcomes

Participation in household 

food production interventions

Agricultural inputs

Gender‐sensitive agriculture training

Nutrition education

Increased production 

of nutrient‐rich foods

Nutrient‐rich foods consumed 

by household

Increased consumption of nutrient‐rich foods by women and children

Improved intake of 

macro‐ and micro‐

nutrients by women and children

Improved maternal and child  nutritional status

Nutrient‐rich foods sold

Increased household income

Increased spending on health

Increased spending 

on nutritious foods

Improved utilization of vitamins 

and minerals

Improved maternal and child health 

outcomes

2012 Webb‐Girard: The effects of household food production strategies on the health and nutrition outcomes of women and young children.

Characteristics of HKI’s HFP program model

Utilizes existing community structures and systems to establish Demonstration Farms (DFs) who received agriculture support and nutrition education;  Integrates home gardening with small animal husbandry, poultry/fowl production and fish farming; Promotes  year round access of indigenous micronutrient‐rich crops and animal source foods, many of which are already being produced by households; and Improves on local farming practices to extent possible.

Program Model Cascade

HKI

Local NGOs

Gov’t

CommLeaders Others

Head

Members

Demonstration Farm

Intervention inputs:

• Input support:  seeds, seedlings and saplings, poultry (local breeds) or/and support for poultry sheds, poultry vaccines, fish cultivars, horticultural inputs, animal fodder, and gardening tools like water cane and pipes 

• Training in Essential Agriculture Techniques including animal husbandry at different levels – extension agents from NGOs, community health volunteers, village and subdistrictgovernment

• Training in Essential Nutrition Actions and behavior change at different levels – health staff from NGOs and government offices, health volunteers, and targeted women 

• Establish of links for marketing & resource access• Important: Input support shouldn’t be 100% free of cost 

Agriculture Training

Agriculture• Year‐roundvegetableandfruitproduction;

• Seed,seedlingandsaplingproduction;

• Integratedpestmanagement;• Organicfertilizerandpesticides;and• Smallscaleirrigation

Nutrition Training

Nutrition• TheImportanceofDietaryDiversity;• Undernutrition anditsCauses;• TheImportanceofMicronutrients;• HygienePractices;and• InfantandYoungChildFeedingPractices.

Animal Husbandry Training

• ChickenRearing;• ChickenCoopConstruction;• Chickenfeeding;• Chickenvaccination;and• Catfishrearing.

Nutrition Education

• Basedonformativeresearch;• Nutritiontrainingprovidedtohealthworkers,kaders,agricultureandanimalhusbandryextensionworkers,andreligiousleaders;

• UsesIECmaterialssuchasfoodcards,healthpracticegameboards,andarecipebook;

• Cookingdemonstrations;and• Nutritioneducationduringreligiousmeetings.

• Households continue with their garden activities once the program support has ended;

• Income earned from selling garden produce was even higher than during project participation;

• Consumption patterns were still more diverse in comparison with a control group; and

An independent evaluation showed that the HFP is sustainable*:

*Source:  Bushamuka, V. N. et. al. FNB 2005

Target Phase1(2012) Phase2(2013‐2015)

Total

Households (HH) 1,601 2,400 4,001

DemonstrationFarms (DF)

80 120 200

Current exposuretime

21months(Feb13‐Dec 14)

10 months(Mar‐Dec14)

Planned exposuretime

31months(Feb13‐Sept 15)

18months(Mar14‐Sept15)

Villages 74

Sub‐districts 17

• Improve the food security and nutrition conditions among vulnerable households in Timor Tengah Selatan (TTS) district, East Tenggara Timur (NTT) Province in eastern Indonesia. 

• Promote and facilitate improved household food security and nutrition through Homestead Food Production (HFP).

• Improve the capacity of households to produce year‐round micronutrient rich foods (fruits, vegetables, small animals (e.g. chickens, eggs) for their own consumption.

• Improve the nutritional practices and behaviours of those households.

HKI’s Project Goals

Source: 2012 Baseline survey, 3 rounds of LQAS survey

Change in Food Consumption Scores from baseline after 18 months of implementation

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Poor Borderline Acceptable

2012 (Dec)2013 (Sep)2014 (Jan)2014 (Jul)

Comparison between the Ministry of Agriculture’s Sustainable Food Reserve Garden Model (Kawasan Rumah Pangan Lestari/KRPL) and HKI’s Homestead 

Food Production Model

Component Ministry of Agriculture

HKI

Improving food security through utilization ofthe home garden

Yes Yes

Increasing food diversity Yes YesDemonstration farms as a source of inputs

Yes Yes

Group approach Yes, with 20 HHsper village

Yes, with 20 HHsper DF

Training Yes YesFocus Income Generation Nutrition and 

Income Generation 

“Life has to be changed!”

“HKI [Helen Keller International], through its Homestead Food Production program in our village, has improved my family’s life because we now plant organic vegetables and raise poultry as well as catfish in our yard. Production of those vegetables, chicken and catfish is so good that I can sell some to the market and it has improved our economic condition while fulfilling the basic needs of my family…. I am sure the result of this activity will help me to provide enoughmoney to pay for my children’s school fees. I really hope that the government will continue supportingthis activity,”

• Vulnerable households can:• diversify their diet by increasing consumption of micronutrient‐rich foods, including poultry and fish

• generate income, also to be spent on foods • HFP has the potential to reduce micronutrient deficiencies;

• Considering its multiple benefits, HFP is an option to improve household food security, nutrition and livelihoods and contribute to achieving the MDGs. 

In Summary 

THANK YOU.“Alonewecandosolittle;togetherwecandosomuch.” ‐HelenKeller pgupta@hki.org