Nutrition in Mountain Agro-Ecosystems (NMA)

A disproportionally high number of the worlds 2 Billion hungry and malnourished people reside in mountain regions. Households and communities in mountain areas depend highly on agriculture which is often constrained by scarce arable land resources, difficult climatic and topopgraphic conditions and poor infrastucture.

Several impact studies have shown the positive effects of ecological intensification on improved nutrition. Nutrition-sensitive agriculture involves the design and implementation of sustainable farming and cropping systems with explicit nutrition outcomes.

Rural Service Providers (RSP) are key agents for the delivery of nutrition knowledge and practices to rural communities and are a suitable vehicle to improved nutrition of rural communities because they reach and interact closely with farmers in different settings.

The governments of the five project countries Kyrgyzstan, Peru, Pakistan, Nepal and Ethiopia have committed to address malnutrition, having malnutrition rates between 14% and 44%.

Improved access to sufficient nutritious food for rural communities in mountain regions through a network of actors facilitating innovation and diversification of proven agro-ecological and other nutrition sensitive practices.

• Rural (farming) households in mountain areas
• Local level: Rural Service Providers
• National level: Decision makers (public and private sector)
• Global Level: Policy makers and donors

Outcome 1: Farmers, Processors and Traders diversify and intensify production, improve post-harvest management and promote a nutritious product range for self-subsistence and to consumers.

Outcome 2: National policies and action plans support diversified production and consumption.

Outcome 3: Agro-ecology-based diversification is promoted internationally as a feasible approach to improve nutrition in mountain agro-systems.

Resultate von früheren Phasen:  

• The stakeholder assessment confirmed the assumption that many rural service providers active in the target areas lack access to specific knowledge, experience and courage for solutions in nutrition sensitive agriculture, processing, trade and consumption. A social and knowledge network focusing on nutrition sensitive community work, gathered around internet platforms and events is new to the specific group of RSP.
• Options for nutrition sensitive interventions were identified in each country.
• Detailed selection procedures for participating RSP’s developed, reflecting needs and challenges.

Phase 1 01.10.2014 - 31.05.2018   (Completed)