251
more diverse diet at the household level. However, this relationship is not always positive. Once strong access to markets or increased technology adoption in agriculture is
attained with concurrent increases in agricultural income, the relationship between
production diversity and dietary diversity does not appear to be as strong (Koppmair,
Kassie, and Qaim 2016). Farmers that are able to specialise do so because they both
have higher incomes and they are able to mitigate the risk of specialisation.
Local supply chains that support more diverse diets can address these challenges.
For example, in several countries homegrown school feeding programs that source
school food from local producers have been implemented (WFP 2017). Recent
work in Malawi has focused on testing whether such programs, when combined
with behavior change communication (to improve nutrition, support local agriculture, and improve attendance at schools), can be effective in addressing malnutrition. The results are currently being finalised, but there is already evidence that
these types of interventions can lead to improved dietary intake in preschool children and growth in their younger siblings (Gelli et al. 2017).
Finally, one of the most promising initiatives to increase the content of micronutrients in diets is biofortification, which involves breeding staple crops, including
sweet potato, maize, beans and cassava, for higher micronutrient levels (Bouis et al.
2011). HarvestPlus has released biofortified crops and is supporting their inclusion
into value chains and the market system in the Democratic Republic of Congo,
Rwanda, Nigeria, Uganda and Zambia. For example, they are working with food
processors to develop and market products using yellow cassava fortified with
Vitamin A in Nigeria, and orange maize in Zambia (HarvestPlus 2017). Randomised
control trials have demonstrated that biofortification can be effective in reducing the
prevalence of inadequate micronutrient intake (Hotz et al. 2012a, b).
21.4 Nutrition-Sensitive Value Chains in a Changing Climate
In 2017 the World Economic Forum highlighted the need for inclusive, sustainable
and efficient food systems that deliver nutritious food. Climate change significantly
impacts malnutrition, both directly, through heat stress and water constraints, and
indirectly, through loss in production. These impacts could be as large as changes in
other socioeconomic indicators such as access to electricity and educational attainment (Davenport et al. 2017). The effect on stunting, however, could be partially
mitigated by investments in education and electricity (Davenport et al. 2017). To
build food systems that are resilient to climate change, it is critical that limited
resources are used efficiently and losses reduced across the value chain (FAO 2013).
At the farm level there are opportunities for agroforestry to promote nutritious
crops while ensuring more sustainable production in terms of soil health and carbon
sequestration. The Initiative for the Adaptation of African Agriculture to Climate
Change (AAA Initiative) notes opportunities for more integrated management of
pastoral and forest systems that, in turn, can improve management of limited
resources; agroforestry in particular offers the opportunity for producers to diversify
their production (and income), maintain soil fertility and water resources, and provide
21 Nutrition-Sensitive Value Chain Development in a Changing Climate
more diverse diet at the household level. However, this relationship is not always positive. Once strong access to markets or increased technology adoption in agriculture is
attained with concurrent increases in agricultural income, the relationship between
production diversity and dietary diversity does not appear to be as strong (Koppmair,
Kassie, and Qaim 2016). Farmers that are able to specialise do so because they both
have higher incomes and they are able to mitigate the risk of specialisation.
Local supply chains that support more diverse diets can address these challenges.
For example, in several countries homegrown school feeding programs that source
school food from local producers have been implemented (WFP 2017). Recent
work in Malawi has focused on testing whether such programs, when combined
with behavior change communication (to improve nutrition, support local agriculture, and improve attendance at schools), can be effective in addressing malnutrition. The results are currently being finalised, but there is already evidence that
these types of interventions can lead to improved dietary intake in preschool children and growth in their younger siblings (Gelli et al. 2017).
Finally, one of the most promising initiatives to increase the content of micronutrients in diets is biofortification, which involves breeding staple crops, including
sweet potato, maize, beans and cassava, for higher micronutrient levels (Bouis et al.
2011). HarvestPlus has released biofortified crops and is supporting their inclusion
into value chains and the market system in the Democratic Republic of Congo,
Rwanda, Nigeria, Uganda and Zambia. For example, they are working with food
processors to develop and market products using yellow cassava fortified with
Vitamin A in Nigeria, and orange maize in Zambia (HarvestPlus 2017). Randomised
control trials have demonstrated that biofortification can be effective in reducing the
prevalence of inadequate micronutrient intake (Hotz et al. 2012a, b).
21.4 Nutrition-Sensitive Value Chains in a Changing Climate
In 2017 the World Economic Forum highlighted the need for inclusive, sustainable
and efficient food systems that deliver nutritious food. Climate change significantly
impacts malnutrition, both directly, through heat stress and water constraints, and
indirectly, through loss in production. These impacts could be as large as changes in
other socioeconomic indicators such as access to electricity and educational attainment (Davenport et al. 2017). The effect on stunting, however, could be partially
mitigated by investments in education and electricity (Davenport et al. 2017). To
build food systems that are resilient to climate change, it is critical that limited
resources are used efficiently and losses reduced across the value chain (FAO 2013).
At the farm level there are opportunities for agroforestry to promote nutritious
crops while ensuring more sustainable production in terms of soil health and carbon
sequestration. The Initiative for the Adaptation of African Agriculture to Climate
Change (AAA Initiative) notes opportunities for more integrated management of
pastoral and forest systems that, in turn, can improve management of limited
resources; agroforestry in particular offers the opportunity for producers to diversify
their production (and income), maintain soil fertility and water resources, and provide
21 Nutrition-Sensitive Value Chain Development in a Changing Climate