Blog-post written by Anna Herforth, Preetmoninder Lidder, and Margaret Gill. Cross-posted from Secure Nutrition.
UN Photo/ J.Isaac
The June 2015 issue of the journal, Food Security, featured a special section: Strengthening the links between nutrition and health outcomes and agricultural research, which advances the boundaries of the field of agri-health research. Much of the conversation on evidence to date has focused on production and consumption within farming households. This set of papers advances a broader view: increasing access to nutritious, safe and sustainably-produced food through markets, food environments, and enabling policy environments – and the importance of looking at impact within this food system paradigm.
From the CGIAR Science Forum to the Printed Page
This collection of papers initially arose from the Science Forum in Sept. 2013 on Nutrition and Health Outcomes: Targets for agricultural research, organized by the CGIAR ISPC (Independent Science and Partnership Council) and co-hosted by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development – BMZ, Germany. Forum discussions identified the need to conduct research to better understand some of the pathways between agriculture and nutrition and how to measure progress along them. Another key area of discussion was how research could help to ensure poor consumers have access to diverse, nutritious foods.
These two broad topics were explored in more detail at a joint Agriculture for Nutrition and Health (A4NH)/ISPC follow-up workshop held at IFPRI exactly one year after the Science Forum (presentations available here). Key findings from the workshop were published in a brief (PDF 208KB) in January 2015.
The special section of Food Security was an outlet to publish the thinking and research that arose out of the Science Forum and follow-up workshop.
The Articles in Brief
All papers in the special section are available as open access downloads through the links below.
The first three papers lay out the context and desired outcomes of the food system: improving multiple aspects of nutrition simultaneously and sustainably.
Five papers deal with increasing access to nutritious and safe food through markets, as well as non-market channels.
The last two papers synthesize what the current research means for agricultural research and policy.
The Science Forum brief, the A4NH/IPSC workshop brief, and the Food Security special section all demonstrate an emphasis on sustainable food systems that provide and encourage nutritious diets as a main need in agricultural research.
Visit the Secure Nutrition website for more information.