resakss presentation lanea findings from the ethiopian case study

Role of Agriculture in Scaling Up Nutrition Findings from Stakeholder Interviews: EthiopiaMesfin Beyero (Dr.)October 8, 2014

Rationale and structure

What does an enabling environment for undernutrition reduction look like?

Case Study Objectives

•Document existing efforts to improve the contribution of the food and agriculture sector to Scaling Up Nutrition in Ethiopia,



•Describe key challenges, obstacles and constraints limiting the contribution of the food and agriculture sector to nutrition,




•Identify opportunities for enhancing the nutritional outcomes of investments in the food and agriculture, and




•Identify opportunities for enhancing the nutritional outcomes of investments in the food and agriculture, and

•Propose methods for better monitoring and evaluating the contribution of the food and agriculture sector to nutrition, and improving incentives and accountabilities for results.

Methodology

Key informant interview guide questions were based on LANSA interview guide (adapted to local context).

19 Interviews were conducted with key decision-makers & practitioners working on agriculture & nutrition.

These included government representatives (MOH, MOA), Donor Agencies, NGOs representatives, UN agencies, Agricultural Transformation Agency (ATA), and Private sector.

Notes and transcripts from these interviews were coded and analyzed.

Initial qualitative findings are hereby being presented. Validation and feedback will be used for refinement of

report. Final report to be shared with key stakeholders.

Background

Agriculture contributes to about 80% of employment and 45% of GDP,

Background


The 9th in the World in terms of livestock population,

Background



The majority of the population (85%) lives in the rural and is dependent on agriculture for its livelihood,

Background




The NNS in February 2008, and the NNP in March 2009 which is later revised in June 2013,

Background




The NNS in February 2008, and the NNP in March 2009 which is later revised in June 2013,

Stunting: 44% in 2011 (51% and 47% in 2000 and 2005

respectively).

1 Politics and governance

Nutrition is being considered in Agriculture programs:



Nutrition is being considered within MoA, more so since June 2013 (the revised NNP) but no nutrition indicators whatsoever.




No nutritionist within MoA; recently a structure has been created.





Flagship programs like PSNP, AGP are including nutrition sensitive interventions.






GTP II is considering nutrition better than GTP I.







CAADP included nutrition in the agriculture investment plan








Concept of nutrition is new; it follows the natural evolution.



Challenges: Factors preventing nutrition from being prioritized:











Nutrition is mainly viewed as the role of the MoH.












MoA did not have a nutrition objective.













No clarity on what agri. can do.













GTP II is considering nutrition better than GTP I. No attention globally on agri-nut linkages.












GTP II is considering nutrition better than GTP I. No attention globally on agri-nut linkages.


Nutrition has long term impact, not visible in the short term.


Politics and governance (cont’d)

Possible actions: government/other actors are taking/can take:



NNP revised.



NNP revised.

A plan to mainstream nutrition within the policies and programs and intra-sectoral coordination within MoA.



NNP revised.


Re-structuring within the MoA to accommodate nutrition.



NNP revised.



The multi-sectoral guideline on development.



NNP revised.




Parliamentarians / DAs have been oriented.



NNP revised. Initiation of production and use of crops with high nutritional value QPM & nutritious pulses like chickpeas, and fruits and vegetables by ATA.









Commitment by donors to provide technical expertise and capacity building.










Multi-sectoral coordination and discussions at national and sub-national (regional) levels.











Reflecting better the special role nutrition has in the next GTP and PIF strategic documents of the government.










Reflecting better the special role nutrition has in the next GTP and PIF strategic documents of the government.


The multi-sectoral guideline needs to consider the geographical and cultural diversity of the country.

Politics and governance (cont’d)What influences decisions?:


Using the GTP and NNP document as a reference in the formulation of any policy or strategy.



Studies like the cost of hunger which indicate the socio - economic effects of child under-nutrition in terms of education and productivity.




Evidence from global documents like the Lancet series, IFPRI documents …on agriculture-nutrition linkages for the experience in the country are poor.





National data (EDHS) and lessons learnt from nationwide programs like PSNP and AGP.



The evidence addressing the how part and easily adoptable by farmers.








Evidence in tandem with the overall strategic framework of the GTP and the overarching objective of the sector apart from the nutritional impact.









Evidence giving the government the confidence to invest and be successful i. e. the economic impact and return and the productivity impact and return.










Demonstrable in the field as the only way to promote to a farmer is by demonstrating on a plot & explaining the basic principles.









Demonstrable in the field as the only way to promote to a farmer is by demonstrating on a plot & explaining the basic principles.

Evidence is more crucial in the Ethiopian society

Perceptions of links between agriculture and nutrition:

2 Knowledge and evidence


Knowledge is minimal. ?Income ?Dietary diversity ? Women empowerment ?Value chain….




Direct link between nutrition and agriculture for nutrition is food. Things have shifted to health because of the supplementation tablets.





Empowering and targeting women.






Increase in agricultural productivity and adding value to the surplus production of the farmer will ensure consumption of diversified diets.







IFPRI, FAO have developed the 10 principles on how agriculture could be nutrition sensitive.




Agriculture is a livelihood for many and is a source of income: Careful planning is required not to miss the balance between export and local consumption.




IFPRI, FAO have developed the 10 principles on how agriculture could be nutrition sensitive.


Data and evidence:

Knowledge and evidence (cont’d)

Data and evidence: No sufficient data



Lack of evidence of interventions resulting stunting reduction. ?Dietary diversity ?Animal products per se ?Homestead gardening? which reduced malnutrition by this much.




EDHS is a fact sheet but does not tell what makes those differences. ?Health interventions ?Agricultural interventions.





More evidence: MoA to relate the production level (of cash crops and food crops) and malnutrition among regions.


Data and evidence: No sufficient data Evidence/documentations are not from

evaluation of interventions designed to address nutrition issues.








More analytical skills: Data from the DAs and HEWs; CBN, PSNP and food security programs all generate data & the evidence might be there!









The cost of hunger study generated evidence that we are what we eat. The studies in the country are mainly behavioral than biochemical and we don’t know what we eat.








The cost of hunger study generated evidence that we are what we eat. The studies in the country are mainly behavioral than biochemical and we don’t know what we eat.


Globally, most of these documents are lacking the how part and the concrete evidence of what works.


Agricultural programs inadvertently negatively affecting nutrition :


Agricultural programs inadvertently negatively affecting nutrition : Promoting mono crop, not diversified

production.



production. Staple foods are the energy-base. Since

we are encouraging them to sell and get money, the farmer is losing his energy base.





Women intensively engaged in agriculture work will affect the nutritional status of their children.






Allocation of land for cash crops like coffee, Khat … at the expense of certain cereals will increase the price of cereals in the market.







Growing crops in soils deficient with nutrients.



production. Small scale irrigation schemes resulting in

water-borne and vector - borne diseases. Staple foods are the energy-base. Since










Market led production where one can easily miss the balance between export and local consumption.

For example: oil seeds. Women intensively engaged in

agriculture work will affect the nutritional status of their children.











The focus of training of the DAs on promoting market oriented production and very little on consumption.











The focus of training of the DAs on promoting market oriented production and very little on consumption.


Green house gas: The agriculture sector in Ethiopia takes the lion’s share of green house gases from natural resource degradation and methane gas from livestock affecting the environment.



3 Capacity and resources

Capacity weak at all levels: government, donors, NGOs for nutrition is a new dimension that needs multi-sectoral integration & the experience is limited.



No institutional capacity to integrate nutrition within MoA. For example, no nutritionist within MoA and no ongoing capacity building. There is a need to re-orientate people’s perspective on nutrition within the MoA.




The donor-partners forum has good ideas and interesting agendas with no further outcome and with no clear mandate recognized by the government.





Lot of capacity in country at individual level but you don’t see the mix.



Capacity issue on research where many studies dealing with minor issues not contributing much to improvement of programs or influencing policy.








Capacity is limited among the national nutrition technical committee to bring forth high level strategic/policy issues for decisions to be made by the national nutrition coordination body.









Capacity starts from policy. Four years ago, we don’t have a NNP but now we have it. Then each ministry needs to prepare a guideline, needs to have the desired human and financial resources and involve partners to contribute.








Capacity starts from policy. Four years ago, we don’t have a NNP but now we have it. Then each ministry needs to prepare a guideline, needs to have the desired human and financial resources and involve partners to contribute.


Capacity assessment needs to be done at different levels within the ministry.


4 Conclusion

Agriculture sector can significantly contribute to reduce stunting rates & micronutrient deficiencies among vulnerable groups. However, there are challenges, obstacles and constraints limiting the sector to nutrition.

4 Conclusion


There are a favorable policy and political will (NNP, PSNP, AGP, GTP) to make agriculture more nutrition sensitive.

4 Conclusion



Opportunities are there but long way to go in terms of practical steps needed for program orientations for integrating nutrition within the sector.

4 Conclusion




There is a need for orientation and re-orientation of the agriculture sector to make greater contribution to nutrition in terms of individual capacities and institutional arrangements.

4 Conclusion




There is a need for orientation and re-orientation of the agriculture sector to make greater contribution to nutrition in terms of individual capacities and insitutional arrangements.

Limitations in capacity is observed at all levels and stakeholders in nutrition sensitive agriculture programming and implementation.

4 Conclusion






Research agenda has not sufficiently provided an environment where the potential role of agriculture to scale up nutrition can be leveraged.

4 Conclusion






Research agenda has not sufficiently provided an environment where the potential role of agriculture to scale up nutrition can be leveraged.

Need for more analytical work for data coming from the field within the MoA and MoH to generate more evidence.

4 Conclusion

THNAK YOU!

resakss presentation lanea findings from the ethiopian case study

Education

agriculture nutrition

agriculture sector

background agriculture

role of agriculture

revised nnp

terms of livestock population

nonutrition indicators

employment and45