The CGIAR Research Program on Agriculture for Nutrition and Health (A4NH) is hosting a brownbag discussion series on our program to participants from our lead center, IFPRI. The series will cover commonly-asked-questions about our research portfolio, how we engage with partners, and areas for scaling up research. This presentation outlines collaborations between A4NH and the Markets, Trade, and Institutions Division at IFPRI.

1. Agriculture for Nutrition and Health: Value Chains for Enhanced Nutrition
Summer Allen
Markets, Trade and Institutions
Division, IFPRI
Photo credit: Summer Allen, IFPRI

2. Purpose
Inadequate nutritional intake can have widespread short-and long-term health and nutrition consequences.
There are many constraints to adequate nutritional intake: production constraints, preferences, processing/storage, consumption practices, information, prices.
Integration of nutrition objectives in agricultural value chains can support dietary goals for undernourished populations

3. Goals
Leverage value chains for nutrient-rich (high- value) foods to increase production and consumption among poor households (especially women, infants, and young children).
Development of new approaches and tools to:
•Analyze value chains using a “nutrition lens”
•Address information asymmetries in nutrition among the value chain participants
•Establish public-private partnerships that can support sustainable market interventions

4. Support of CG-wide research
Supported 5 seed grants and advisory:
•Vegetable seed provision in Bangladesh (AVRDC)
•Dairy markets in Kenya (ILRI)
•Biofortifiedyogurt in Bangladesh (IDS, ILRI)
•Dried fish in Bangladesh (WF)
•Fruit value chains in Peru (ICRAF; Bioversity)
MTI offers expertise:
Conducting field research over a range of topics
Analyzing the collected data and evaluating impact

5. Food Safety in Value Chains
IFPRI program on aflatoxinshas been ongoing since 2009 (Aflacontrol)
Agreement from many partners (CIMMYT, ICRISAT, IITA, ILRI) that mycotoxinsare a key area for food safety and trade in Africa and an important research area for A4NH.
Building upon this work, a few projects related to food safety are being pursued.
Projects are done through partnerships both internal and external to the CG system.

6. Maize Value Chains -Kenya
Increased concern regarding linkages between aflatoxinand health outcomes.
Activities:
Evaluation of aflatoxinprevalence in home-grown maize stocks and marketed flour;
Testing of various drying techniques to reduce contamination (partnership with ACDI/VOCA);
Demand analysis for improved drying techniques;
First RCT to experimentally assess impact of aflatoxinexposure on child development

7. Partnerships Possible with Maize Value Chains
Texas Office of the State Chemist and local millers:
Build capacity of commercial millers for testing
3rd party verification by AflatoxinProficiency Testing for Eastern and Central Africa (APTECA);
Univof Western Michigan: Consumer response to new product attributes, discounts and marketing

8. Dairy Value Chains -India
India is the largest producer of milk in the world (75 million rural families); Challenged by quality issues
Evaluation of food safety practices
Assessment of the impact of information on consumer choices
Experiments analyze uptake for certified milk (pasteurized and certified milk sold at a premium)

9. Integration of Nutrition in Value Chains
Integrated and pursued in various MTID research projects
Includes partnerships with institutions, NGOs, and universities
Relies upon close coordination with local nutritionists or nutrition-focused groups
Allows work with self-help groups and local development organizations that strengthens their outcomes using a value chain approach

10. Nutritious Food Consumption-Bangladesh
•Partnership with GAIN, BanchteShekha, and DATA
•Understanding the determinants of young women’s decision-making power in food purchasing and cooking decisions
•Nutritional messaging and cooking “contests” (using competitiveness as driver).
•Analyzing learning and behavioral change.
Photo credit: Berber Kramer, IFPRI

11. Pulse Value Chains-India
Working with local NGOs (iKure; PRADAN) and McGill University
Increase pulse productivity and household nutrition
Provide nutrition training and health camps as well as seeds
Photo credit: SrivardhiniK Jha

12. Vegetable Value Chain-India
Working with local NGOs (eKutir) and McGill University
Creating markets for vegetable production in both rural and peri- urban areas
Providing entrepreneur training
Photo credit: Summer Allen, IFPRI

13. Moving Forward with VCN
Additional piloting of nutrition tools for use in VCN survey instruments
Creating typologies that inform opportunity-based targeting.
Additional projects are in planning stages or under consideration (groundnuts, animal-source foods, pulses, bio-fortified crops)
If interested in projects related to VCN, contact Summer: s.allen@cgiar.org) or Alan de Brauw (a.debrauw@cgiar.org)