Compact2025 News in Brief: October 30, 2019

Nutrition International offers multiple micronutrient supplementation cost-benefit tool

Nutrition International provides a free online tool that will help governments determine the health benefits and budget impact of transitioning from iron and folic acid supplementation (IFAS) to multiple micronutrient supplementation (MMS) in their maternal health programs. The MMS Cost-Benefit Tool will help countries determine whether antenatal MMS is better value for money than IFAS.

The impact of the aquaculture revolution in Bangladesh

A rapid increase in aquaculture production in Bangladesh has lowered fish prices, increased protein consumption, and reduced poverty. The new book The Making of a Blue Revolution in Bangladesh is a case study of how this transformation in the fish value chain occurred, how it improved the lives of fish producers and fish consumers, and what potential aquaculture still holds for Bangladesh. The book was launched during an event in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Early childhood development centers as platforms to improve micronutrient intake of preschoolers

An evaluation of the impact of an agriculture and nutrition behavior change communication (BCC) intervention in Malawi found that using a preschool platform to implement a nutrition-sensitive BCC intervention is an effective strategy. It improves the adequacy of micronutrient intake of preschool children in food-insecure settings, according to the results that were published in The Journal of Nutrition.

Tackling the problem of child stunting and its driving forces

A study in Nutrients examines the relationship between the decreasing trend in child stunting and potential driving factors such as women’s decision-making power, access to sanitation facilities, and early initiation of breastfeeding, using data from 50 Demographic and Health Surveys since 2000 in 14 countries. The results reinforce the need for a combination of nutrition-sensitive and -specific interventions to tackle the problem of stunting. The identified drivers could help to guide global efforts to further accelerate stunting reduction and monitor progress against chronic childhood undernutrition.

CIRAD-EC-FAO report concludes that food systems are under unprecedented threats

“Food Systems at Risk”—a report co-published by the European Commission, FAO, and the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD)—concludes that food systems are currently under an unprecedented number of threats. It lays out the trends and challenges in several categories including climate change, environmental integrity, inclusive development, and food security and nutrition.

Orange-fleshed sweet potato varieties: nutrition and food security impacts

A study in World Development examines the nutrition and food security impacts of a project designed to improve availability of disease-free planting materials of biofortified orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) in rural Tanzania. The results show that participation in the project increased agronomic and nutritional knowledge of households, raised uptake rate for OFSP varieties, and improved food security status. However, effects on nutrition were weak.

How the US benefits from investments in developing country agriculture and food security

A report and synopsis from the Board for International Food and Agricultural Development, IFPRI, and the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities examine how the United States benefits from agricultural and food security investments in developing countries. It notes that USAID agriculture-related investments help prevent global transmission of animal diseases, support the search for solutions for soil- and plant-borne toxins, and promote U.S. consumers’ access to tropical foods and off-season fruits and vegetables imported from developing countries. In aid-recipient countries, these investments raise household incomes, improve nutrition and health, and build stronger national and regional economies.