INGENAES

Approach to Integrating

Nutrition within Agricultural

Extension Systems

Photo credit: CGAP

What we stand for

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Integrating

Gender and

Nutrition

within Agricultural

Extension

Services

IN

GE

N

A

E

S

Outline

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b • Agricultural extension & nutrition: –Overview of the need & the global

context

• The INGENAES response • INGENAES competency framework • A “menu of options” • Institutional commitment

Dialogue

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b • How can community health workers and agriculture extension staff support each other’s nutrition-sensitive efforts?

• How to improve diets and food

systems without overburdening staff, systems?

Agricultural Extension Services (AES 101)

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• AES staff forge strong trust relationships in the communities where they work

• AES influence production and management decisions, support farmer association

The “old” model: • male agents advise male farmers on how

to grow more staples and/or cash crops • Agents have introduced crops that have

displaced crops traditionally grown and/or marketed by women, may be less nutritious

Why INGENAES?

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b • Women comprise 43% of the global agricultural labor force, yet: – In most countries, women are underrepresented

in AES staff – Women farmers are infrequently reached by AES – Services are not tailored to the unique needs of

women farmers

Why INGENAES?

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b • Despite decades of investment, agricultural development has not improved nutrition at the micro level. – Agricultural interventions often negatively impact

nutrition – Agricultural projects positively impact child

nutrition when: • nutrition is planned for, • women are empowered, and • nutrition education/SBCC is an integral component

How INGENAES Operates

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b • Activities underway in Bangladesh, Zambia, Nepal, and Honduras (Tajikistan, Uganda, Sierra Leone & Guatemala coming soon)

• Demand-driven: – in-country partners are engaged to understand

what we can offer, – plan to address local needs created in partnership

with local partners

• Context-specific, addressing pluralistic extension

Competency Framework

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Competency

Content Area

Competency Description

Include type of competency (knowledge, attitude, skill), level in Bloom taxonomy, and 2-3 sentences describing the competency

Learning Changes in skills, knowledge and attitudes that happen during a learning event and can be assessed during the event. (Achievement-Based Objectives)

Transfer Specific, expected actions that will be practiced/tried in work. Transfer points form the basis for supportive supervision

Impact Longer-term or ultimate changes that will occur within the organization or community as a result of practicing this competency or this one along with others

Nutrition Promotion in INGENAES: the What

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b • Support year-round food & nutrition security: all the food groups all year round for all the household

• Diversify consumption

• Improve postharvest handling for home and for market

Throughout: • Empower

women and engage men

• Create demand for healthy diets

• Adult learning principles

Competency Framework

Nutrition Promotion in INGENAES: the What

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• WASH as it’s impacted by agriculture – Hygiene in food preparation – Irrigation risks – Livestock, related sanitation & hygiene

• Promote appropriate agricultural practices relevant to nutrition: – Responsible agrochemical use (in pregnancy,

to reduce LBW) – Rest/care esp. for perinatal & lactating

women

• Market-oriented advisory services – Create demand for nutritious products:

partnerships w/ industry, health sector…

Throughout: • Empower

women and engage men

• Create demand for healthy diets

• Adult learning principles

Competency Framework

The INGENAES Menu:

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b • Nutrition Institutional Reflection Framework – Guided process for evaluating how nutrition

connects to core principles – Goal: elicit institutional commitment to nutrition

• Tip/Fact/Activity Sheets – For frontline workers with and without training

• Technical notes, discussion papers and case studies – For policymakers, donors, program managers

DISCLAIMER: This presentation was made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development, USAID. The contents are the responsibility of the author(s) and

do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government

Photo: Mark Bell

Dialogue!