AGRA

Cross Cutting Issues

Nutrition

We recognize that food security is a necessary goal, but our food must meet nutritional needs.

Malnourishment is high and growing in several African countries. Within AGRA’s focus countries, the undernourished population increased in Mozambique, Kenya, Rwanda, and Tanzania between 2009 and 2019. Despite continuous efforts, stunting is yet to be fully tackled in most countries on the continent. The prevalence of stunting for under 5s between 2009 and 2019 was as high as 42.3% in Mozambique and 40.9% in Malawi.

AGRA will shift its focus beyond productivity and food security, recognising that nutrition-sensitive interventions are required throughout our food systems. This shift has strong synergies with the other areas of our work and, indeed, can only be delivered through effective interventions in seed systems, sustainable farming, and government engagement. AGRA aims to strengthen partnerships towards improving farmer and consumer nutrition outcomes by diversifying crops and ensuring the availability.

Our intentional approach to nutrition

AGRA aims to encourage the development of policies to promote improved nutrition by building a stronger nutrition policy and regulatory framework and improving state capacity for nutrition-sensitive agriculture.
AGRA aims to increase the production of diverse, nutrient-dense varieties, and biofortified seeds by enhancing knowledge of nutrition and increasing the supply of bio-fortified inputs.
AGRA aims to promote increased crop diversification at the farm level by diversifying the production system.