COVID-19: Shocks on Nutrition and Potential Mitigation – USAID Guiding Principles and Recommendations
USAID, May 2020
- Knowledge Management
- Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning
Reports and Tools
Summarizing the likely impacts of COVID-19 on nutrition across sectors, this document proposes guiding principles for the response to and recovery from the current crisis. Program designers and implementers can use the document as a framework for advising nutrition. Priority actions cover response and recovery for food and health systems programming, as well as humanitarian assistance and safety nets.
COVID-19’s Triple Threat to Gender Equality, Nutrition and Future Potential
1,000 Days, June 2020
- Nutrition in Humanitarian Contexts
Reports and Tools
COVID-19 threatens women’s and girls’ health, nutrition, development, and gender equality gains. Financial hardships, overwhelmed health systems, and reduced access to health services compound these threats. Priority actions include providing additional nutritional supplements and counseling, integrating nutrition messages during cash distribution, and holding catch-up child health and immunization campaigns. Countries need data, analytics, and technical assistance to make informed decisions about reducing risk and allocating resources.
Crafting the Next Generation of CGIAR Research: Policy Seminar
CGIAR, October 2019
- Food Systems
Events
This seminar shared important messages from an upcoming CGIAR report and book on gender research in agriculture and natural resource management. The publications will synthesize current research and propose a forward-looking agenda for future research in this area. Covered topics include gender in climate-smart agriculture and nutrition-sensitive agriculture programing, among others. Introductory summaries for many of the topics are also available on CGIAR’s website.
Creating Demand for Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS): A Mini Guide
Sight and Life, April 2020
- Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning
- Nutrition and Health Systems
- Social and Behavior Change and Gender
Reports and Tools
Public health practitioners who wish to improve demand for, uptake of, and adherence to multiple micronutrient supplements can look to this guide for assistance. It contains tips categorized into three phases: getting started, project implementation, and monitoring and evaluation. The authors incorporate key elements, questions, and data to help practitioners achieve better results.
Critical Review of Indicators, Metrics, Methods, and Tools for Monitoring and Evaluation of Biofortification Programs at Scale
Rodas-Moya, Santiago, Francesca M. Giudici, Bho Mudyahoto, et al. Frontiers in Nutrition, October 2022
- Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning
Research Articles
The authors recommend using 17 high-level indicators to track critical results along the crop biofortification implementation pathway. They also call for more research to test, revise, and develop mechanisms to harmonize the monitoring and evaluation framework across programs, institutions, and countries.
Dangerous Assumptions #1: More Income = More Food and Nutrition Security?
WOTRO Science for Global Development, September 2020
- Knowledge Management
Reports and Tools
There is a lack of consensus about whether income alone leads to greater food and nutrition security. Some argue that higher incomes lead nations to focus on other priorities at the expense of food production and nutrition, while others believe that higher incomes lead to greater access to inputs and land, which in turn leads to higher-quality food production. Experts agree that when women have access to their own income, food and nutrition security increase for the entire family. This is a 27-minute podcast.
Data Collection and Analysis Tools for Food Security and Nutrition: Towards Enhancing Effective, Inclusive, Evidence-Informed, Decision Making
Food and Agriculture Organization, September 2022
- Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning
Reports and Tools
Priorities include securing additional financial investment to fill data gaps, addressing low levels of data literacy and analysis skills among data users, and improving global data governance to allow for broad circulation of relevant information while preserving individual rights.
Data for Infant and Young Child Feeding and Minimum Dietary Diversity for Women: Understanding New Guidelines, Evidence, and Survey Tools Webinar
USAID Advancing Nutrition, June 2022
- Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning
Events
Presenters share new global guidance on indicators, their experience with developing and using updated guidelines, pilot results from using these indicators, and country-specific adaptations of questions. This is a webinar.
Data4Diets: Building Blocks for Diet-Related Food Security Analysis
International Dietary Data Expansion (INDDEX) Project, January 2020
- Knowledge Management
- Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning
Events
The new Data4Diets platform is a multi-dimensional tool that can help program implementers, policymakers, and researchers measure food safety through the use of various indicators and data sources. This webinar explained the functionality of the Data4Diets platform and it’s organizing framework. Presenters demonstrated how to use the platform’s online tools.
DataDENT Indicator Mapping Technical Brief
DataDENT, August 2019
- Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning
Reports and Tools
A landscape assessment of nutrition data visualization tools by DataDENT (Data for Decisions to Expand Nutrition Transformation) found that these tools often report on various indicators without uniform definitions. This can lead to differing conclusions and makes it challenging to determine which indicators and tools implementers should use for decision-making and advocacy. In an effort to better understand this challenge, DataDENT summarized the overlaps and differences in indicator definitions across a select set of data visualization tools and nutrition monitoring frameworks. The resulting technical brief links to a blog post and excel spreadsheet of indicators across nutrition data and tools.
A Decade of Progress and Action for the Future: Preventing Child and Maternal Deaths, 2023–2030
United States Agency for International Development, March 2023
- Knowledge Management
Reports and Tools
This report presents successful innovations, lessons learned, and important approaches to build and sustain momentum and global commitment to improve maternal and child survival.
A Decade of the Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index (WEAI): Lessons from Using Empowerment Metrics
International Food Policy Research Institute, February 2022
- Food Systems
Events
Using the WEAI, index-based metrics are used to track progress toward women’s empowerment and gender equality in the agriculture sector. Speakers discuss the evolution of the tool, share findings from studies using the metrics, and reflect on what has been accomplished by applying the index in diverse contexts. This is a webinar.
December Is Food Loss and Waste Month on Agrilinks
Agrilinks, December 2022
- Food Systems
Reports and Tools
Posts in this series focus on how food loss and waste links to climate, food safety, nutrition, and food security. Contributors discuss the power of technology to improve cold chain and post-harvest handling, advocate for private sector and youth engagement, and provide actionable recommendations for the development community.
Decisions to Start, Strengthen, and Sustain Food Fortification Programs: An Application of the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) Evidence to Decision (EtD) Framework in Nigeria
Friesen, Valerie M., Mduduzi, N.N. Mbuya, Frank T. Wieringa, et al. Current Developments in Nutrition, January 2022
- Food Systems
Research Articles
Gaps in program design and implementation constrain the impact of food fortification. Using the GRADE EtD framework can strengthen the decision-making processes for health systems and public health, as well as improve program design, delivery, and health impacts.
Declaration on Food Security and Nutrition during the COVID-19 Pandemic
African Union and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, April 2020
- Nutrition in Humanitarian Contexts
Reports and Tools
Ministers for agriculture from African Union member states outline their priorities for food security and nutrition in the context of COVID-19 in this statement. They explain the challenges that COVID-19 poses to the continent’s agricultural supply chain, particularly in East Africa, which is already facing difficulties caused by a locust outbreak. The document calls for increased attention from international donors to ensure that the current situation does not evolve into a humanitarian crisis.
Decolonizing Global Health: Perspectives from Nurses and Midwives
Seed Global Health Frontline Health Workers Coalition, IntraHealth International, and the Nurses Lead | Midwives Lead, September 2020
- Capacity Strengthening
Events
Panelists discuss the history of communities most affected by interventions being left out of priority setting, funding structures, program design, and implementation. They outline steps to dismantle these inequities and ensure that future policy and programmatic work is community-led, responsive, and people-centered. This is a webinar.
Defining Diet Quality: A Synthesis of Dietary Quality Metrics and Their Validity for the Double Burden of Malnutrition
Miller, Victoria, Patrick Webb, Renata Micha, et al. The Lancet Planetary Health, August 2020
- Food Systems
- Nutrition and Health Systems
Research Articles
Addressing the double burden of malnutrition requires attention to diet-related maternal and child health (MCH) and non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Identifying a unified global dietary quality metric that can measure the relative contributions of MCH and NCD to malnutrition would help policy and programmatic decision-making.
Defining Social and Behavior Change Competencies for Multi-Sectoral Nutrition: A List for Assessing, Developing, and Evaluating Staff Skills
USAID Advancing Nutrition, April 2020
- Capacity Strengthening
- Social and Behavior Change and Gender
Reports and Tools
The tool identifies social and behavior change (SBC) competencies that project staff need to design, implement, and evaluate SBC components of nutrition programs. Program managers can use these competencies to guide hiring decisions, identify capacity strengthening priorities, and track performance. It is available in English and French.
Degree of Exposure to Interventions Influences Maternal and Child Dietary Practices: Evidence from a Large-Scale Multisectoral Nutrition Program
Suresh, Shalini, Anne Paxton, Bhim Kumari Pun, et al. PLoS ONE. August 26, 2019
- Nutrition and Health Systems
- Social and Behavior Change and Gender
Research Articles
Suaahara II is a multi-sectoral program created to combat the high prevalence of maternal and child malnutrition in Nepal. Looking at cross-sectional data from an annual monitoring survey, this review analyzes the association between exposure to Suaahara II and dietary diversity, focusing on three behavior change intervention platforms. The authors concluded that interpersonal communication and community mobilization programs are essential precursors for mass media to effectively change behaviors related to dietary diversity.
Delivering Nutrition Interventions to Women and Children in Conflict Settings: A Systematic Review
Shah, Shailja, Zahra Ali Padhani, Daina Als, et al. BMJ Global Health, April 2021
Research Articles
This review synthesizes data on the delivery, coverage, and effectiveness of nutrition programs in areas of conflict. Available studies focus on micronutrient supplementation, nutrition assessments, and interventions for young children and pregnant and lactating women, but there is little research evaluating coverage or effectiveness of nutrition interventions.
Designing Effective Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture Activities: Facilitator's Guide and Slides
USAID Advancing Nutrition, November 2022
- Capacity Strengthening
- Food Systems
Reports and Tools
This set of design workshop materials helps activity teams develop contextually appropriate, nutrition-sensitive agriculture outcomes, interventions, and indicators. The facilitator’s guide and accompanying slide decks are available in English and French.
Desk Review of Food Systems Approaches to Support Wasting Reduction
USAID Advancing Nutrition, November 2023
- Nutrition and Health Systems
Reports and Tools
Current evidence suggests that water, sanitation, and hygiene; nutrition-sensitive agriculture; and large-scale food fortification interventions may help reduce wasting. Authors summarize implementation considerations and recommend areas for further research based on evidence gaps.
Desk Review on Health Systems Approaches to Support Wasting Reduction
USAID Advancing Nutrition, November 2023
- Nutrition and Health Systems
Reports and Tools
The review presents evidence for the effectiveness of health system approaches and discusses implementation considerations. Areas for further research include measuring change in wasting incidence and wasting prevalence among the general under five population; assessing relapse; measuring food insecurity, food safety, and diet quality to better understand pathways to wasting prevention; and using harmonized protocols across different settings.
Determinants of Maternal Diet Quality in Winter in the Kyrgyz Republic
Mukuria-Ashe, Altrena, Silvia Alayon, Tim Williams, et al. Global Health: Science and Practice, December 2022
- Nutrition and Health Systems
Research Articles
Dietary diversity in the Kyrgyz Republic is strongly associated with the cultural practices of preserving and storing food during the fall. Identifying and promoting positive cultural practices to support greater diet diversity, engaging food systems, and increasing market access to improve maternal diets are critical.