253
(Gillespie et al. 2017). The advantage of a value chain approach that incorporates
the private sector is that, if profitable, entrepreneurs will have an incentive to further
develop them, but a focus on both consumer and producer is necessary to target (and
affect) malnutrition (Allen and de Brauw 2017). Partnerships between the public
and private sectors have been developed to increase access to fortified foods, which
can be especially important in rural areas (Gomez and Ricketts 2017). Understanding
economic mechanisms behind consumer choices as well as how those may change
as a result of climate change or variability will be necessary to ensure that activities
targeting more nutritious crop production and consumption are sustainable.
21.5 Implications for Development
A growing body of evidence demonstrates that climate change will strain current
agricultural production systems, with negative consequences for food security.
However, the ramifications of climate change and increased yield variability on
nutrition are not so well documented. The most nutritious crops may be less desirable for producers as they often require more inputs and need to be stored quickly
after harvest to mitigate against spoilage.
Value chain interventions are an attractive option because they can overcome
constraints on the use of inputs and support the development of transport and storage facilities for healthier products. As the climate continues to change, it will be
increasingly important to strengthen nutrition-sensitive value chains so that producers have inputs, markets, and price incentives for these products.
These interventions will need to be tailored to the constraints and opportunities
of specific regions, and attention must be paid to any environmental trade-offs that
might be required. A number of nutrition-sensitive chains could provide resilience
to climate change, including chains for biofortified crops and varieties (such as
beans) that are more tolerant to heat and moisture stress.
As noted, it will be important to consider social and environmental trade-offs
when evaluating the cost-effectiveness of value chain interventions and related programs, including capacity development infrastructure. Finally, public-private partnerships that strengthen market linkages can also be developed to improve the
nutritious content of food and account for its environmental footprint.
References
Allen S, de Brauw A (2017) Nutrition sensitive value chains: theory, progress, and open questions.
Global Food Security. In press. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gfs.2017.07.002
Allen S, de Brauw A, Gelli A (2016) Nutrition and sustainability: harnessing value chains to
improve food systems. In: International Food Policy Research Institute. 2016 Global Food
Policy Report. International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington DC, p 49–56
21 Nutrition-Sensitive Value Chain Development in a Changing Climate
(Gillespie et al. 2017). The advantage of a value chain approach that incorporates
the private sector is that, if profitable, entrepreneurs will have an incentive to further
develop them, but a focus on both consumer and producer is necessary to target (and
affect) malnutrition (Allen and de Brauw 2017). Partnerships between the public
and private sectors have been developed to increase access to fortified foods, which
can be especially important in rural areas (Gomez and Ricketts 2017). Understanding
economic mechanisms behind consumer choices as well as how those may change
as a result of climate change or variability will be necessary to ensure that activities
targeting more nutritious crop production and consumption are sustainable.
21.5 Implications for Development
A growing body of evidence demonstrates that climate change will strain current
agricultural production systems, with negative consequences for food security.
However, the ramifications of climate change and increased yield variability on
nutrition are not so well documented. The most nutritious crops may be less desirable for producers as they often require more inputs and need to be stored quickly
after harvest to mitigate against spoilage.
Value chain interventions are an attractive option because they can overcome
constraints on the use of inputs and support the development of transport and storage facilities for healthier products. As the climate continues to change, it will be
increasingly important to strengthen nutrition-sensitive value chains so that producers have inputs, markets, and price incentives for these products.
These interventions will need to be tailored to the constraints and opportunities
of specific regions, and attention must be paid to any environmental trade-offs that
might be required. A number of nutrition-sensitive chains could provide resilience
to climate change, including chains for biofortified crops and varieties (such as
beans) that are more tolerant to heat and moisture stress.
As noted, it will be important to consider social and environmental trade-offs
when evaluating the cost-effectiveness of value chain interventions and related programs, including capacity development infrastructure. Finally, public-private partnerships that strengthen market linkages can also be developed to improve the
nutritious content of food and account for its environmental footprint.
References
Allen S, de Brauw A (2017) Nutrition sensitive value chains: theory, progress, and open questions.
Global Food Security. In press. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gfs.2017.07.002
Allen S, de Brauw A, Gelli A (2016) Nutrition and sustainability: harnessing value chains to
improve food systems. In: International Food Policy Research Institute. 2016 Global Food
Policy Report. International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington DC, p 49–56
21 Nutrition-Sensitive Value Chain Development in a Changing Climate