IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/epplan/v77y2019ics0149718918303811.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Fostering CHANGE: Lessons from implementing a multi-country, multi-sector nutrition-sensitive agriculture project

Author

Listed:
  • Nordhagen, Stella
  • Nielsen, Jennifer
  • van Mourik, Tom
  • Smith, Erin
  • Klemm, Rolf

Abstract

Using agriculture to improve nutrition is an approach growing in popularity, with programs becoming increasingly complex and multisectoral. While there is an active line of research assessing the impacts of such programs, little has been written about the process of successfully implementing them. As such, this paper uses a multisectoral nutrition-sensitive agriculture program implemented in four African countries as a case study to address key challenges in and lessons learned from implementation. We highlight the overall flexibility of nutrition-sensitive agriculture but also the need to adapt certain aspects to the particular context, as well as the opportunities for cross-context learning (and the limits to this). Integrating rigorous evaluation into such complex programs and forging diverse cross-sectoral partnerships offer both rewards and challenges, upon which we reflect. Main lessons learned from the program include the importance of carefully sequencing interventions, retaining flexibility in implementation, allowing for considerable time for cross-sector integration and coordination, and considering community impacts when designing research.

Suggested Citation

  • Nordhagen, Stella & Nielsen, Jennifer & van Mourik, Tom & Smith, Erin & Klemm, Rolf, 2019. "Fostering CHANGE: Lessons from implementing a multi-country, multi-sector nutrition-sensitive agriculture project," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:epplan:v:77:y:2019:i:c:s0149718918303811
    DOI: 10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2019.101695
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0149718918303811
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2019.101695?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Resnicow, K. & Page, S.E., 2008. "Embracing chaos and complexity: A quantum change for public health," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 98(8), pages 1382-1389.
    2. Mara van den Bold & Andrew Dillon & Deanna Olney & Marcellin Ouedraogo & Abdoulaye Pedehombga & Agnes Quisumbing, 2015. "Can Integrated Agriculture-Nutrition Programmes Change Gender Norms on Land and Asset Ownership? Evidence from Burkina Faso," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(9), pages 1155-1174, September.
    3. Sridharan, Sanjeev & Nakaima, April, 2011. "Ten steps to making evaluation matter," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 34(2), pages 135-146, May.
    4. Johnson, Nancy L. & Kovarik, Chiara & Meinzen-Dick, Ruth & Njuki, Jemimah & Quisumbing, Agnes, 2016. "Gender, Assets, and Agricultural Development: Lessons from Eight Projects," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 295-311.
    5. World Bank, 2013. "Improving Nutrition through Multisectoral Approaches," World Bank Publications - Reports 16953, The World Bank Group.
    6. David Pelletier & Suzanne Gervais & Hajra Hafeez‐ur‐Rehman & Dia Sanou & Jackson Tumwine, 2018. "Boundary‐spanning actors in complex adaptive governance systems: The case of multisectoral nutrition," International Journal of Health Planning and Management, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(1), pages 293-319, January.
    7. Peter R. Berti & Rachelle E. Desrochers & Hoi Pham Van & An Lê Văn & Tung Duc Ngo & Ky Hoang The & Nga Le Thi & Prasit Wangpakapattanawong, 2016. "The process of developing a nutrition-sensitive agriculture intervention: a multi-site experience," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 8(6), pages 1053-1068, December.
    8. Iannotti, Lora & Cunningham, Kenda & Ruel, Marie, 2009. "Improving diet quality and micronutrient nutrition: Homestead food production in Bangladesh," IFPRI discussion papers 928, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    9. Cole, Donald C. & Levin, Carol & Loechl, Cornelia & Thiele, Graham & Grant, Frederick & Girard, Aimee Webb & Sindi, Kirimi & Low, Jan, 2016. "Planning an integrated agriculture and health program and designing its evaluation: Experience from Western Kenya," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 11-22.
    10. Harris, Jody & Drimie, Scott, 2012. "Toward an integrated approach for addressing malnutrition in Zambia: a literature review and institutional analysis:," IFPRI discussion papers 1200, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Baral, Nayana & Paria, Bidur & Behera, Bhagirath & Mishra, Pulak, 2021. "Household behaviour and nutrition-sensitive agricultural practices: Experiences of smallholder farmers in Northern West Bengal, India," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 21(C).
    2. Kang, Yunhee & Cho, Mokryeon & Rahman, Md.Mezanur & Cho, Yoonho & Han, Seungheon & Dutta, Makhan L., 2021. "Design of a collaborative monitoring and evaluation system for a community-based nutrition project in rural Bangladesh," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    3. Indu K. Sharma & Dirk Essink & Victoria Fumado & Malay Kanti Mridha & Lalita Bhattacharjee & Jacqueline E. W. Broerse, 2021. "What Influences the Implementation and Sustainability of Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture Interventions? A Case Study from Southern Bangladesh," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-20, October.
    4. Nichols, Carly E., 2021. "Spaces for women: Rethinking behavior change communication in the context of women's groups and nutrition-sensitive agriculture," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 285(C).
    5. Jun Fan & Xingming Fan & Attachai Jintrawet & Horst Weyerhaeuser, 2021. "Sustainability Interventions on Agro-Ecosystems: An Experience from Yunnan Province, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-15, May.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ruel, Marie T. & Quisumbing, Agnes R. & Balagamwala, Mysbah, 2017. "Nutrition-sensitive agriculture: What have we learned and where do we go from here?:," IFPRI discussion papers 1681, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    2. Simone Passarelli & Dawit Mekonnen & Elizabeth Bryan & Claudia Ringler, 2018. "Evaluating the pathways from small-scale irrigation to dietary diversity: evidence from Ethiopia and Tanzania," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 10(4), pages 981-997, August.
    3. Mara van den Bold & Andrew Dillon & Deanna Olney & Marcellin Ouedraogo & Abdoulaye Pedehombga & Agnes Quisumbing, 2015. "Can Integrated Agriculture-Nutrition Programmes Change Gender Norms on Land and Asset Ownership? Evidence from Burkina Faso," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(9), pages 1155-1174, September.
    4. Johnson, Nancy L. & Balagamwala, Mysbah & Pinkstaff, Crossley & Theis, Sophie & Meinzen-Dick, Ruth Suseela & Quisumbing, Agnes R., 2017. "How do agricultural development projects aim to empower women?: Insights from an analysis of project strategies," IFPRI discussion papers 1609, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    5. Enock Warinda & Dickson M Nyariki & Stephen Wambua & Reuben M Muasya & Munir A Hanjra, 2020. "Sustainable development in East Africa: impact evaluation of regional agricultural development projects in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 44(1), pages 3-39, February.
    6. Olutayo Adeyemi & Mara Bold & Nicholas Nisbett & Namukolo Covic, 2023. "Changes in Nigeria’s enabling environment for nutrition from 2008 to 2019 and challenges for reducing malnutrition," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 15(2), pages 343-361, April.
    7. Elizabeth Bryan & Elisabeth Garner, 2022. "Understanding the pathways to women’s empowerment in Northern Ghana and the relationship with small-scale irrigation," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 39(3), pages 905-920, September.
    8. Cole, Donald C. & Levin, Carol & Loechl, Cornelia & Thiele, Graham & Grant, Frederick & Girard, Aimee Webb & Sindi, Kirimi & Low, Jan, 2016. "Planning an integrated agriculture and health program and designing its evaluation: Experience from Western Kenya," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 11-22.
    9. Nick Chisholm, 2019. "Multi‐sectoral collaboration for improved nutrition: The problems and prospects of implementation in Ethiopia," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 37(2), pages 274-292, March.
    10. Domènech, Laia, 2015. "Is reliable water access the solution to undernutrition? A review of the potential of irrigation to solve nutrition and gender gaps in Africa South of the Sahara:," IFPRI discussion papers 1428, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    11. Rao, Nitya, 2017. "Assets, Agency and Legitimacy: Towards a Relational Understanding of Gender Equality Policy and Practice," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 43-54.
    12. Taylor, Sebastian A.J. & Perez-Ferrer, Carolina & Griffiths, Andrew & Brunner, Eric, 2015. "Scaling up nutrition in fragile and conflict-affected states: The pivotal role of governance," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 126(C), pages 119-127.
    13. Newton-Levinson, Anna & Higdon, Megan & Sales, Jessica & Gaydos, Laurie & Rochat, Roger, 2020. "Context matters: Using mixed methods timelines to provide an accessible and integrated visual for complex program evaluation data," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    14. Sridharan, Sanjeev & Jones, Bobby & Caudill, Barry & Nakaima, April, 2016. "Steps towards incorporating heterogeneities into program theory: A case study of a data-driven approach," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 88-97.
    15. Gillespie, Stuart & van den Bold, Mara, 2015. "Stories of change in nutrition: A tool pool:," IFPRI discussion papers 1494, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    16. Lam, Steven & Dodd, Warren & Wyngaarden, Sara & Skinner, Kelly & Papadopoulos, Andrew & Harper, Sherilee L., 2021. "How and why are Theory of Change and Realist Evaluation used in food security contexts? A scoping review," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    17. Alwang, Jeffrey & Larochelle, Catherine & Barrera, Victor, 2017. "Farm Decision Making and Gender: Results from a Randomized Experiment in Ecuador," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 117-129.
    18. Otterbach, Steffen & Rogan, Michael, 2017. "Spatial Differences in Stunting and Household Agricultural Production in South Africa: (Re-)Examining the Links Using National Panel Survey Data," IZA Discussion Papers 11008, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    19. van den Bold, Mara & Quisumbing, Agnes R. & Gillespie, Stuart, 2013. "Women’s empowerment and nutrition: An evidence review:," IFPRI discussion papers 1294, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    20. Clark, Alexander M., 2013. "What are the components of complex interventions in healthcare? Theorizing approaches to parts, powers and the whole intervention," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 185-193.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:epplan:v:77:y:2019:i:c:s0149718918303811. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/evalprogplan .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.