1. Tackling the agriculture-nutrition disconnect in Africa
Stuart Gillespie
International Food Policy Research Institute
and Transform Nutrition
15 March 2017

3. Most stunting is in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa
IMPROVING CHILD NUTRITION: The achievable imperative for global progress. UNICEF 2013

5. Consequences of malnutrition
Child death and illness
25,000 under-fives die every day (11,000 due to malnutrition ie 45%)
By far the biggest driver of the global burden of disease
Cognitive impairment
Lost income-earning potential
Annual GDP losses in Africa 11%
Intergenerational transmission of stunting
Double burden of over- and undernutrition
Global epidemic of non-communicable disease (NCDs)

6. The causes of malnutrition are interconnected
Insufficient access to affordable, nutritious FOOD
throughout the year
Lack of good
CARE for mothers & children & support for parents on appropriate child feeding practices
Inadequate access to HEALTH sanitation & clean water services
ROOTED IN
Political & Cultural Environment
Disempowerment of women
Environmental Degradation
Poverty

7. Why agriculture?
Photo: One Acre Fund

8. What drives progress in nutrition?
Contributions to reductions in stunting in developing countries, (%)
Smith & Haddad. "Reducing Child Undernutrition: Past Drivers and Priorities for the Post-MDG Era." World Development 68 (2015):

9. 6 pathways between agriculture and nutrition
Agriculture as a source of food
Agriculture as a source of income
Agricultural policy and food prices
Women’s employment, time and ability to manage young child care
Women’s status, decision making power and control over resource allocation
Women’s own health and nutritional status
Agriculture is a key driver of poverty reduction
but...
Pathways to nutrition are diverse and interconnected
Source: Gillespie et al., TANDI project

10. What does an enabling environment for nutrition look like?
Framing, knowledge and evidence
Politics, policy and governance
Capacity and financial resources
Impact
“Enabling environment” = the wider political and policy processes which build and sustain momentum for the effective implementation of actions that reduce undernutrition
Gillespie et al (2013)

11. pro-nutrition agri-food systems
Building
pro-nutrition agri-food systems
Global Panel 2016

12. Rethinking food systems for nutrition
Agri-food systems are not just about feeding people, they are also for nourishing them.
Policymakers and key decision makers need to work throughout the food system to effect diet change. Attacking bits of it will not work.
Public and private actors need to come together more to find innovative solutions to providing food that is nutritious safe and affordable, especially to those on lower incomes.
Research within the food system needs to be driven to a greater extent by the desire to achieve high quality diets.
Better metrics for diet quality and monitoring food system outcomes are needed.
Accountability needs to be improved on commitments and actions to strengthen the ability of food systems to support diet diversity and quality.

14. Thank you