Presented by Stacia Nordin, FAO Presented at Report Launch "Mapping Linkages Between Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition in Malawi" Ufulu Gardens, 28th April, 2015

1. Improving
Food Security & Nutrition
(IFSN)
Overview of Project & Research
Stacia Nordin, RD
FAO Nutrition Officer (Food Security & Policy)
Stacia.Nordin@fao.org
28 April 2015 Mapping the Linkages Between Agriculture, Food Security & Nutrition Slide 1
Project reports, materials & Research Dissemination
http://www.fao.org/food/en/
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/cy7vj1ym9xwvhsz/AAApGITXU36k1w7NPcGfVEXta?dl=0

2. IFSN Project overview: 2007-2015
Kasungu & Mzimba
 Phase 1: 2007-2010
– Food Security Recovery - response to drought
– 29,000+ farmers
– 6 EPAs – 3 in each district
 Phase 2: 2011-2015
– Development assistance, increased training / skills
– 55,000+ farmers (groups FFS + JFFLS + Nutrition)
– 6 New EPAs – 3 in each district
– One third of each EPA covered each year called “Rounds”
– Round 1 areas were researched for Child Nutrition
 11 Million USD total (5.5 million each phase)
– 84,000 farmers = about 131 USD / farmer
– 4 technical staff, 1 coordinator, 1 admin, drivers
28 April 2015 Mapping the Linkages Between Agriculture, Food Security & Nutrition Slide 2

3. Good
Nutrition
Health
Body & living conditions:
care, water, sanitation, hygiene
Food & Water Security
All food groups & water:
available, accessible, utilized, all the time
Human Systems
For food, water, health, education, policies, etc.
Natural Resources & Systems
Soil, water, air, vegetation, animals (including insects & humans)
1st
4th
3rd
2nd
Environment + Agriculture =
the foundation of Nutrition,
the source of our nutrients
Nutrition Security =
Nutrient needs met for growth, health & energy
Medication
Soil, Food, Water & People
can be avoided
with a healthy foundation
Achieving Food Security & Good Nutrition through integration
28 April 2015 Mapping the Linkages Between Agriculture, Food Security & Nutrition Slide 3

4. High levels of
Poor Nutrition
Food & Water Insecurity
Calories, but lacking nutrients
Water becoming serious threat
Systems are currently out of balance
Requires high input High Medication
People, Food, Water
& Soil
28 April 2015 Mapping the Linkages Between Agriculture, Food Security & Nutrition Slide 4

5. Good
Nutrition
Healthy Living
& Health Care
Food & Water
Security
Human
Systems
Natural Resources
& Systems
IFSN Project’s 12 areas
Attempted to integrate all 12:
12 – Crop Increase & diversification
11 – Livestock pass-on
10 – Fruit production
9 – Clean Water
8 – Small Scale Irrigation
- Linkages to Ministry of Health
- Healthy home, Hygiene, Sanitation
7 – Nutrition Education Infant & Young Child Feeding
6 – Nutrition Policy
5 – Income generation & Village Savings & Loans
4 – Mainstreaming Gender, HIV, Malaria
3 – District Capacity Building: People & Institutions
2 - Environmental education, tree planting
1 - Soil & Water Conservation
IYCF
Research
LUANAR + JLU
Integrated
Homestead
Farming
Slide 5

6. Scaling Up Nutrition – 13 key interventions
Healthy Eating & Living:
1. Healthy Diverse Diets
• All people
• Pregnant & Lactating Women
2. Infant Young Child Feeding:
• Exclusive breastfeeding (0 - 6 mo.)
• Complementary feeding (6 - 24 mo.)
3. Water, Hygiene & Sanitation
Treatments / supplements:
4. Vitamin A supplementation
5. Zinc supplementation for diarrhoea
6. Deworming
7. Iron & folate supplements
8. Salt iodisation
9. Prevent & treat Undernutrition
10. Treat Severe Acute Malnutrition
Not in Malawi:
11. Multiple micronutrient powders
12. Iodised oil capsules
13. Iron fortification of staples
28 April 2015 Mapping the Linkages Between Agriculture, Food Security & Nutrition Slide 6

7. Food Security = all food groups
Adult needs based on 2,200 kcal/day
(more than most adults need)
1 day 1 year
1 Adult
Calories
%
Calories
1 adult
(Kg)
16 Million
Adults (kg)
1. Staples
½ Grains + ½ Tubers
838
240
38%
11%
90
90
1,460,000
1,460,000
2. Fruits 150 7% 108 1,752,000
3. Vegetables 96 4% 108 1,752,000
4. Legumes & Nuts 588 26% 54 584,000
5. Animal Foods 58 3% 36 584,000
6. Fats 235 11% 18 116,800
TOTAL food needed: 2,205 100% 504 7,708,800
28 April 2015 Mapping the Linkages Between Agriculture, Food Security & Nutrition Slide 7

8. Diversified meals
Based on 6 food groups
& Food Availability Calendar
Food Group: Foods Rains Cold Hot
1 - Staples
Green Banana  
Yams 
Maize  
2 - Fruits
Papaya  
Mbula fruit 
Mango 
3 - Vegetables
Amaranth 
Limanda (Hibiscus)  
Cassava leaves  
4 - Legumes & Nuts
Nseula 
Kamumpanda 
Mtedza 
5 - Animals
Chicken Eggs 
Fish 
Termites 
6 - Fats
Sunflower Seeds  
Pumpkin Seeds  
Avocado 
28 April 2015 Mapping the Linkages Between Agriculture, Food Security & Nutrition Slide 8

9. 28 April 2015 Mapping the Linkages Between Agriculture, Food Security & Nutrition Slide 9
Improve porridges using
locally available foods
Thicken,
Use whole grain,
& Add food groups

10. 1. Trainer of Trainer Guidelines
 Owned by sector
 Flip Chart & Markers
 SUN strategy & new Training Manual
2. Nutrition Counseling Bag
 Owned by Village
 Counseling Flip Charts (new SUN cards)
 Food Calendar (blank)
 Recipe Book – scientific & cultural
 Pictures: Individual foods
 Pictures: Porridges
 Cup (250 ml)
 Recording Books and Forms, pens
3. Cloth with IYCF message
 owned individually
28 April 2015 Mapping the Linkages Between Agriculture, Food Security & Nutrition Slide 10
IYCF Materials

11. 1. District Trainer of Trainers (ToTs)
 District Nutrition Coordinating Committee
 Agriculture – Food & Nutrition Officer
 Health – Nutritionist
2. Orient all levels (1/2 day, 2-4x/year)
 Sensitize Area Development Committee
 Village Development Committees
 Attempt to serve healthy snacks as part of learning
3. ToTs Train Extension Staff & Volunteers (8 days)
 Agriculture Extension Development Officers
 Health Surveillance Assistants
 Community Nutrition Promoters (CNPs)
28 April 2015 Mapping the Linkages Between Agriculture, Food Security & Nutrition Slide 11
IYCF Nutrition Education Process:

12. 4. Community Nutrition Promoters (forever)
 1 Agriculture (Lead Farmer)
 1 Health (Community health Volunteer)
 Work in pairs own village.
 CNPs Facilitate 10 sessions in 4-5 mo.
5. Nutrition Care Groups (5 mo.)
 15 caregivers with children 6 to 24 months
 Grandparents, husbands & anyone encourages
 Groups meet about 2 hours 1-2 times a month
 New care group every 6 months (changing)
6. Caregiver Graduation (2x/year)
 Government certificates
 Graduation ceremony organized by village
 Graduates teach community during graduation
IYCF Nutrition Education Process (cont.)
28 April 2015 Mapping the Linkages Between Agriculture, Food Security & Nutrition Slide 12

13. IYCF Coverage in KU & MZ
INDICATOR
2012/13
ROUND 1
Group 1+2+3
2013/14
ROUND 2
Group 1+2
2014/15
ROUND 3
Group 1
TOTAL
Trainers of Trainers (ToTs) 20 + 5 + 4 29
Frontline Staff 64 111 74 + control 249
Villages 200 175 100 + control 475
Community Nutrition Promoters (CNPs) 400 368 200 + control 968
Caregivers 4,775 3,930 Counting now 8,705
Households
including others who attended sessions
6,365 5,250 Counting now 11,615
28 April 2015 Mapping the Linkages Between Agriculture, Food Security & Nutrition Slide 13

14. LUANAR Research:
Factors influencing adoption of improved IYCF practices
As reported by Caregivers & Grandparents from FGD & Observation
28 April 2015 Mapping the Linkages Between Agriculture, Food Security & Nutrition Slide 14
 Facilitating factors (Intervention areas had the best dietary diversity scores)
1. Knowledge: allowed to implement what they learned
2. Taste: of the porridge was good according to Children & other family members
3. Health: Seeing improvements: Child behaviors, Reduced illness, No malnutrition cases
4. Supportive community: understanding / interest in improved nutrition practices
5. Attendance: Those that attended all/most sessions had the best growth in children
 Hindering factors:
1. Unsupportive community, especially grandmothers, discouraging food changes
2. Food availability & access – either spouse reluctant to purchase, or not available in the
area, minimal ability to substitute foods within food groups

15. JLU Research: Cross-sectional Impact Surveys
1. 2011 Aug/Sep Research Baseline
• 2011 October FS starts & Nutrition Trials of Improve Practices (TIPs)
• 2012 October Nutrition Education trainings started (Round 1 Group 1)
2. 2013 Aug/Sep Mid-term (less than 1 year implementation)
3. 2014 Aug/Sep Impact (1 ½ year implementation)
-
 Intervention villages: Nutrition Education component (Round 1) - very few FS
 Control villages: Food Security component only (no NE)
Focus was on community effects not on individual participants
28 April 2015 Mapping the Linkages Between Agriculture, Food Security & Nutrition Slide 15

16. mid-term – FS & Diets improved in intervention areas
Sub-group analysis of HAZ:
-1.9
-1.8
-1.7
-1.6
-1.5
-1.4
-1.3
-1.2
-1.1
-1
no NE participant NE participant (2012/13)
HeightforAgeZ-score(HAZ)
Control area
no participation
(n=382)
Intervention area
IFSN NE no FS
(n=29)
Intervention Area
IFSN FS but no NE
(n=74)
Intervention area
IFSN NE and FS
(n=20)
NE = Nutrition Education FS = Food Security (inputs / training) IFSN = Improving Food Security and Nutrition project
Stunting = HAZ -2
28 April 2015 Mapping the Linkages Between Agriculture, Food Security & Nutrition Slide 16

17. 28 April 2015 Mapping the Linkages Between Agriculture, Food Security & Nutrition Slide 17
Food-based approaches
focusing on the use of local foods
are feasible for improving child feeding.
---
Government & Community Ownership & Understanding
with Integrated Food Security & Nutrition Programming
is needed to achieve the best results.