“Enhanced Homestead Food Production (E-HFP) to improve household food security and nutrition” presented by Pooja Pandey, Hellen Keller International-Nepal at the ReSAKSS-Asia Conference, Nov 14-16, 2011, in Kathmandu, Nepal.

1. Lessons learned from
Enhanced Homestead
Food Production
(E-HFP) to improve
household food
security and nutrition
in Nepal
Pooja Pandey Rana
Helen Keller International /Nepal
IFPRI Technical Workshop
15th November 2011
Kathmandu, Nepal

2. • Describe HKI’s Homestead Food Production (HFP)
model
• Share lessons learned for future program design of
HFP model
• USAID funded Action Against Malnutrition through
Agriculture (AAMA) Project in Nepal
Outline

3. Objective: improve nutritional status of vulnerable
members of low income households through home
production of micronutrient (MN) rich crops and small
animals, poultry …
• Nutritional focus now broadened to include child growth
and not just micronutrient deficiencies
• Emphasis on year round production of local micronutrient
rich crops and animal source foods
• Focus on improving local farming practices to extent
possible
HKI’s HFP Program…

4. HKI’s HFP Program…
Four primary pathways to achieve impact on nutrition:
1. Increased availability of micronutrient-rich foods through
increased household production of these foods.
2. Increased knowledge and adoption of optimal
nutrition practices including consumption of
micronutrient-rich foods.
3. Increased income through the sale of surplus
production.
4. Linkages established with local health services.

5. Where? Since 1990, now in four countries in Asia:
Bangladesh, Nepal, Cambodia and Philippines.
Just launched in Africa in Burkina Faso (w/ IFPRI) and
Tanzania
Coverage? Cumulatively more than 5 million people directly
reached (950,000 families with majority in Bangladesh)
Who? Primarily target women farmers from poorer
households
HKI’s HFP Program…

6. HKI’s HFP Program…
 HKI partners with government field agents and local
NGOs for 3 year cycle
 Establish Village Model Farms
 Provide seeds, saplings and chicks
 Provide agricultural training in optimal techniques for
crops and raising small animals and fowl
 Provide links to health services and nutrition
education (behavior change)
 Make market linkages when needed

7. 7
Some results…

8. Consistently improve:
• Household production of micronutrient-rich foods
• Household consumption of micronutrient-rich foods
• Consumption of micronutrient-rich foods among mothers
and children
• Knowledge on key nutrition behaviors esp. on IYCF
Some evidence that they improve:
• Income (especially under women’s control)
• Women’s empowerment (HH decision-making)
Inconsistent evidence that they improve:
• Nutritional status outcomes (anemia, child growth)
Some results…

9.  family food production alone
is not enough to improve
nutrition
Lessons learned – program design…

10. Human, Economic, and
Institutional Resources
Nutritional Status
HealthDiet
Household
Food Security
Potential Resources
Ecological Conditions
Care of Mother
and Child
Environ. Health,
Hygiene & Sanitation
Political and Ideological Structure Root
Causes
Manifestations
Immediate
Causes
Underlying
Causes
Adapted from UNICEF
Conceptual Framework of Undernutrition
FOOD CARE HEALTH
Lessons learned – program design…

11. Stronger links with local health services
Greater focus on Essential Nutrition
Actions and behavior change
(now named ‘Enhanced HFP’)
Adequate attention on hygiene, water
and sanitation for improved nutrition
outcomes
Lessons learned – program design…

12. • Use ‘equity lens’
– Social mapping is key during community entry
– Special strategies needed to reach the unreached
» leasing of community land, poultry for the
landless, VMF should be promoted as a social
enterprise
• Use “gender lens”
– Design programs to empower women
– “Do no harm” approach
Lessons learned – program design…

13. 13
Key role of women in nutrition and
agriculture

14. 14
What more can we do to leverage
agriculture for nutrition?
Need to look at “who” can do “what” at
key points in the agricultural cycle
(inputs & pre-production, production,
harvest, marketing, etc...)
Lessons learned – program design…

15. Primary Beneficiaries
• Mothers and children under 2 yrs of age (~13000 HHs)
• Community Health Volunteers (~1500 FCHVs)
• Government Counterparts
Program Goals:
• To improve household food security and nutritional
status of children under 2 years and their mothers in
the Baitadi, Kailali, Bajura districts
• To improve governance capacity within the MOAC and
MOHP to strengthen multi-sectoral coordination for the
joint identification and planning of nutrition and food
security activities in 9 districts
Mothers meet at the Village Model
Farm to discuss Homestead Food
Production and Essential Nutrition
Actions.
Action Against Malnutrition through Agriculture(AAMA)
(2008-2012)

16. Improved-breed chickens are reared to focus
on egg consumption. Chickens are brooded for
8 weeks, vaccinated and then distributed.
1. Homestead Food Production (HFP)
• Village Model Farms
• Homestead gardens (incld.poultry)
2. Essential Nutrition Actions (ENA)
• IYCF and Maternal nutrition
• Nutrition for sick child
• Linking to national programs
3. Behavior Change Communication
• Formative research, IEC
• Counseling /negotiations skills
• Follow-up visits for priority
behaviors
AAMA Program Interventions
4. Multisectoral governance

17. Impact
Supportive
supervision
Project Monitoring and Evaluation
Input Process Outputs Outcomes
HKI, NTAG, NNSWA, SMJK, DHO, DADO, DOLS
HKI partners
with local NGOs
and
government
Village Model
Farms (VMF)
established
Small animal
production
established
Increased
production of
nutrient-rich
fruits &
vegetables
HFPB groups
established
Linkages to
VMF, FCHVs
and health
services
Agriculture inputs
including seeds,
saplings and
poultry
Improved
and
developed
gardens
established
Increased
Income
Beneficiaries
understand &
adopt ENA
messages and
use health
facilities
Improved
child care
and feeding
practices
Beneficiaries
understand
agriculture
training
Increased
animal
source food
production
Increased
household
consumption
Improved
maternal
and child
health and
nutritional
status
Agriculture-
related
training
Process/Outputindicators
Outcomeindicators
Impactindicators
Program Impact Pathways
Essential
Nutrition
Actions
using
behavior
change
FOOD
CARE &
HEALTH
Program Impact Pathways

18. HKI gratefully acknowledges support from:
 USAID
 OFDA
 CIDA
 Irish Aid
 NOVIB
 Partner NGOs
 European Union
 NHF
 DANIDA
 IFPRI
www.hki.org

19. धन्यवा Acknowledgements:
Dr. Victoria Quinn, HKI