Research Brief #5: Integrating Agriculture and Nutrition Actions to Improve Maternal and Child Nutrition: Metrics for Coordinated Research

There is a great need to establish solid, empirical knowledge of the effects of integrated programs targeting agriculture, nutrition and health (ANH), which are often complex, multi?sector interventions. In particular, there is a need to develop metrics and measures that will allow researchers within the realm of agriculture?health to understand the barriers, facilitators and drivers of nutrition impact?and to be able to rigorously say why and how a program succeeded or failed, as well as draw more generalizable lessons about the combination of inputs and services across multiple sectors that together, achieve value?added gains for nutrition. In other words, innovative evaluation designs and metrics are needed to consider not only the overall impact of integrated programs, but also to assess theorized program impact pathways, and the parameters of effective implementation (process research or, as some call it, delivery science).

Author
Date
Publication Type