Integrating Agriculture and

Nutrition in Food Aid Projects:

One nutrition advisor’s perspective

Target: The household…with children under age two?

UNDERLYING: RESILIENCY….EARLY WARNING…..SUSTAINABILITY

FOOD SECURITY

AVAILABILITY ACCESSABILITY UTILIZATION

Indicators: HH incomeHH productionChild stunting

Targets:1) The nutritional health of the HH income producers

Why worry about the well-being of HH income producers?

2) The nutritional health of vulnerable members (women and children) of the household

Why are some members of the HH “vulnerable”??

Why worry about the well-being of vulnerable members of the household?

FOOD SECURITY PROJECTS

Areas of Intervention• Food security with staple crops (seasonal

security)

• Diversified production• Diversifying household consumption• Entering the value chain to increase income• Protecting your natural resource (soil, water)

• Post-harvest storage

AGRICULTURE INTERVENTIONS

“FIRST 1,000 DAYS” = CONCEPTION TO AGE 2

WHY? THE WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY

ESSENTIAL NUTRITION ACTIONS:• Good nutrition during pregnancy• Best practices in breastfeeding• Best complementary feeding practices of children

ages 6 to 24 months• Micronutrients: Vitamin A, iron/folic acid, iodine

MATERNAL-CHILD NUTRITION INTERVENTIONS

KNOW YOUR BASIC FOOD GROUPS FOR A BALANCED AND VARIED DIET

KEY NUTRITION CONCEPTS TO SHARE WITH AGRICULTURE SPECIALISTS

ENERGY = Staple FoodPROTECTION: Fruits and

Vegetables

GROWTH: Protein

ENERGY? Fats Sugars

One nutrition advisor’s perspective

BALANCED VARIED DIET WITH EXTRA:

• ENERGY (staple)• PROTEIN• VITAMIN A• IRON

Why EXTRA?

FOR PREGNANT WOMEN

Why PROTEIN, VITAMIN A and IRON?• GROWTH and pregnancy, age 6 to 24 months• PROTECTION:

• High rates of vitamin A deficiency and iron-deficiency anemia

• VITAMIN A and IRON are stored in the body• Vitamin A and eyes, lining of “gut” and “lungs”• Iron and hemoglobin (red blood cells + oxygen)

What about ENERGY?• More staple food consumption• Fats (oils)

AGRICULTURE SUPPORT FOR NUTRITION

For Children age 6-24 m: F.A.D.U.A.• Small children have small stomachs• Much improvement can occur with use of staple

food for complementary feeding• Frequency of feeding• Amount fed• Density of the porridge (water, oil)

• Utilization (variety = protein, vitamin A & iron)

• Actively feeding child (encouraging, etc.)

√ Food security with staple crops; seasonal security√ Diversified production

√ Entering the value chain• Teach household income management: budget to

include % for animal protein foods• Include agreements to reserve a portion of

commercial crops for community availability√ Diversify crops for household consumption

• Include protein crops = legumes• Include a few vegetable crops HIGH in Vitamin A

and iron• Promote consumption of “new” crops

√ Post-harvest storage• Home gardens ?? Fruit trees?? Small animals??

AGRICULTURE SUPPORT FOR NUTRITION

HOME GARDENS• Link between agriculture – nutrition – gender• Daily source of some first foods for baby

FRUIT TREES = sustainable source of Vitamin A but not usually available in the project’s first years

SMALL ANIMALS: Sustainability? Who cares for? What do they consume?

POTENTIAL POINTS OF INTEGRATIONDURING THE LIFE OF A PROJECT

1. Seasonal food security of staple crops2. Adding crops with protein (legumes)3. Selecting vegetables HIGH in Vitamin A & iron4. Promoting consumption of new foods5. Teaching household budget management for nutrition

improvement6. Agreements to reserve portion of crop for community

consumption7. Involving PERSONS OF INFLUENCE

AG SPECIALIST INPUT

NUTRITION SPECIALIST

INPUT

OTHER SPECIALIST

INPUT

FOOD SECURITY & MATERNAL CHILD

NUTRITION

POTENTIAL POINTS OF INTEGRATION DURING PROJECT DESIGN STAGE

• Selecting new staple crops for seasonal food security

• Adding crops with protein (legumes)• Selecting vegetables HIGH in Vitamin A & iron

AG SPECIA

LIST INPUT

NUTRITION

SPECIALIST

INPUT

OTHER SPECIA

LIST INPUT

FOOD SECURIT

Y & MATER

NAL CHILD

NUTRITION

Pumpkin• Big seed, save seed. • Eat seed, flowers,

leaves, fruit.• Weed management• Multipurpose• Traditional food

Carrot• Small seed, new

seed. • Eat root only• High management• Sensitive to

harvest/post harvest• Not traditional food

Carrots or Pumpkins?

Is a PUMPKIN a PUMPKIN ??

Small Group Work: Selecting

vegetables high in vitamin A or iron

(repeat) POTENTIAL POINTS OF INTEGRATION DURING PROJECT

DESIGN STAGE

• Selecting new staple crops for seasonal food security

• Adding crops with protein (legumes)• Selecting vegetables HIGH in vitamin A & iron

AG SPECIA

LIST INPUT

NUTRITION

SPECIALIST

INPUT

OTHER SPECIA

LIST INPUT

FOOD SECURIT

Y & MATER

NAL CHILD

NUTRITION

POTENTIAL POINTS OF INTEGRATION DURING PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION

• Promoting consumption of new foods• Teaching household budget management for nutrition

improvement• Agreements to reserve portion of crop for community

consumption• Involving PERSONS OF INFLUENCE

AG SPECIA

LIST INPUT

NUTRITION

SPECIALIST

INPUT

OTHER SPECIA

LIST INPUT

FOOD SECURIT

Y & MATER

NAL CHILD

NUTRITION

HARMONIZED MESSAGES

Target: Children under age two

UNDERLYING: RESILIENCY….EARLY WARNING…..SUSTAINABILITY

FOOD SECURITY

Indicators: HH income

HH productionChild stunting

AVAILABILITY ACCESSABILITY UTILIZATION

This presentation was made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Office of Food for Peace. The contents are the responsibility of Save the Children and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.