Agriculture for Nutrition and Health – CGIAR Research Program

Highlights

December 3, 2020

A4NH 2020 Annual Report

Report details program achievements in food systems, biofortification, food safety, policy, human health, and equity and empowerment.

Highlights

June 23, 2020

CGIAR Announces New COVID-19 Hub for Research

Hub provides a coordinated research response to the global pandemic, harnessing knowledge across CGIAR research themes for emergency response, recovery, and resilience.

Highlights

November 11, 2021

November 18: Pathways to Progress

Webinar examines 10 years of A4NH research, and what comes next.

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Biofortification

December 22, 2021

Paving the Way to Commercialization: The Role of Standards for Biofortified Products

An exploration of the process for establishing standards and specifications for biofortified crops throughout the value chain.

Blog

December 21, 2021

Fostering Research Capacity Around Food Systems: Harvesting Lessons From PhD Experiences

PhD candidates with A4NH's Food Systems for Healthier Diets research flagship reflect on what they learned about engaging in national food system transformation during the course of their study.

Blog

December 20, 2021

A4NH Food Systems Researchers from Wageningen University & Research Profiled by the Dutch Research Council

Inge Brouwer and Ruerd Ruben have helped shape A4NH's food systems thinking and research agenda.

Biofortification

December 14, 2021

Digitalizing Biofortified Food Supply Chains to Facilitate Scale

Technology and digital solutions could be instrumental in expanding biofortification’s reach and impact, and addressing micronutrient deficiencies for millions of consumers worldwide.

Blog

December 13, 2021

Learning from Indigenous Peoples about Food System Sustainability and Reciprocity

Reflections on insights into sustainable food system transformations shared during the Indigenous Peoples' sessions at the 2nd International Agrobiodiversity Conference

Blog

November 3, 2021

How can we lower the price of fruits and vegetables? Exploring ways to deliver vouchers to consumers

Researchers test how receiving vouchers changes fruit and vegetable consumption habits among consumers in Viet Nam and Nigeria and whether the changes hold up over time.

Events

November 4, 2021

Pathways to Progress: The Story of Agriculture for Nutrition and Health and What Comes Next

View this November 18 webinar hosted by A4NH and ANH Academy to consider research A4NH has conducted over its 10-year history, discuss what has been learned, and identify how this work can be built upon moving forward

Blog

November 3, 2021

More than a few rotten tomatoes: Is it time to shift the agenda on post-harvest losses?

Reducing food loss and waste could potentially increase food availability for the poor and reduce the environmental footprint of agriculture. Yet one of the key challenges is to define it and measure it.

Blog

September 23, 2021

Sustainable, Healthy Diets for All Will Require a Food Systems Transformation

A new proposed CGIAR initiative aims to support and enable consumption of sustainable healthy diets for all, while improving livelihoods, income, gender equity, and social inclusiveness.

Food Systems for Healthier Diets

September 23, 2021

Online Course: Food Environments for Healthy, Sustainable Diets

New online course, free through 2021, engages participants in food environment analysis

Improving Human Health

September 24, 2021

How to Stop Food Systems from Feeding Pandemics: Embrace One Health

A new proposed One Health initiative by CGIAR will work with farmers and governments around the world to improve food safety, disease surveillance, reduce AMR, protect the environment, and unite experts.

Blog

July 26, 2021

Five Leverage Mechanisms to Support Food System Transformation

In advance of the UNFSS pre-Summit, the authors identify leverage points to help define priorities for societal support and political action toward healthier, more sustainable, and inclusive food systems.

Blog

July 21, 2021

Mapping Evidence of Food System Transformation for Healthier Diets: What Works?

The authors detail a new systematic search and review of evidence for the impact of food system innovations on dietary and nutrition related outcomes.

Blog

June 7, 2021

Informal Food Markets: What It Takes to Make Them Safer

In this piece originally published on The Conversation, the authors explore steps to address food safety, particularly in the context of informal markets.

Bangladesh

May 13, 2021

Exploring COVID-19's Impacts on Women in Southern Bangladesh

New discussion paper explores unexpected findings on women’s empowerment, women’s employment outside their homes, and women’s diet diversity in Bangladesh in the months following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Blog

April 13, 2021

COVID-19: How India Fared During Lockdown

The authors share ten facts on India’s urban employment during the pandemic and the lockdown in this opinion piece which originally appeared in the Financial Express.

Blog

April 6, 2021

Historicizing Global Nutrition: Looking back to move forward

Reflections from a recent webinar where nutrition experts gathered to consider past learnings in an effort to to better face the impacts of COVID-19 on food systems and malnutrition in all its forms.

Blog

March 26, 2021

Event: Food Systems Lessons from COVID-19

The March 2 event explored findings from the first world-level assessment of COVID-19 on food security, and what it means for food system resilience

Flagships

March 26, 2021

New Brief Series Details Aspects of One Health

New series from A4NH Managing Partner ILRI aims to improve understanding of the complex linkages between the wider environment, animal and human health

Blog

March 9, 2021

Now available: The project-level Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index Distance Learning Module

The module’s aim is to train researchers and practitioners on the pro-WEAI tool, from its background to its practical application within the project context.

Events

February 25, 2021

New report from CGIAR COVID-19 Hub offers food systems lessons from the pandemic, insights for building resilience

CGIAR researchers have conducted the first world-level assessment COVID-19's impacts on food security. Their findings also shed light on considerations for building back more resilient food systems.

Impact

February 19, 2021

A4NH Releases Strategic Briefs Highlighting Key Program Achievements, Lessons Learned

Briefs draw from 11-year program history to capture learnings and achievements on research conducted by five flagships, representing work from across the globe.

Blog

January 15, 2021

Gender Equity in the Food Environment: Considerations for Low- and Middle-Income Countries

New scoping review aims to identify gaps in research on gender in the food environment

Blog

January 11, 2021

Update on the CGIAR Research Response to COVID-19

Report details work with partners and across CGIAR System to develop solutions for COVID-19 response, recovery and resilience to date

Blog

January 11, 2021

CGIAR Researchers Share COVID-19 Work from Across the System

Profiles of nine projects being conducted across CGIAR on impacts of COVID-19

Blog

December 18, 2020

What Influences Choices on Eating and Activity? Perspectives from Adolescent Girls and Women

New paper explores gap in understanding of obesogenic behaviors in low- and middle-income countries

Blog

December 17, 2020

Engaging Countries to Link Research to Policy and Program Processes for Food System Transformation

Based on A4NH experience, reflections on how CGIAR can engage meaningfully with key country stakeholders to build momentum toward attaining development goals.

Blog

December 11, 2020

How Climate Change Intertwines with Inequity to Erode Nutrition

New study examines research gaps in connecting critical issues of nutrition, climate change, and equity.

Blog

December 5, 2020

Food Systems, African Union Regional Processes, and CGIAR Engagement

A4NH engagement in AU processes and dialogues shows path forward for CGIAR engagement as attention to food systems transformation grows

Blog

December 1, 2020

Developing a Pro-Equity Nutrition Policy Agenda for Africa

Reflections on thought-provoking discussion at Cultivate Africa

Improving Human Health

November 9, 2020

Partnership and Support: CGIAR is Working with Countries to Address COVID-19 Impacts

An interview with Ekaterina Krivonos, Deputy Director for Programs at the CGIAR System Organization and Chair, CGIAR COVID Hub Working Group on Supporting Country Responses to COVID-19.

Blog

November 6, 2020

Program Implementers and Researchers Partner to Develop and Test Nutrition-Sensitive Guidance for WFP Programs

Interview with partners from IFPRI and World Food Programme sheds light on process, lessons learned, and next steps.

Blog

November 3, 2020

New Research in Viet Nam Shows Holistic Approach to School-Based Interventions Required to Promote Healthy Eating Among Children

Insights from a study into improving fruit and vegetable consumption for children and adults through school-based interventions

Blog

October 23, 2020

Failing Food Systems: Can Aquatic Foods Turn the Tide?

With two billion people worldwide lacking access to diverse, nutritious, and safe diets, the authors explain why aquatic foods must be part of the effort to transform our food systems.

Blog

October 16, 2020

How Alternative Views on Food Systems Lead to Different Food Policies

The authors detail their recent study of differences and similarities among more than 30 recent international reports on food systems, to uncover how this leads to diverging views on the dynamics of food systems change, and what the implications are.

Blog

October 14, 2020

El Rol de la Mujer Rural en el Sistema Agroalimentario Latinoamericano/The Role of Rural Women in the Latin American Agri-Food System

In roles ranging from producers to consumers, women face different roles, opportunities, and obstacles in food systems. This blog is presented in Spanish and in English.

Blog

October 6, 2020

Survey: Despite COVID-19, Food Consumption Remains Steady in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Results suggest phone surveys reporting falling incomes in the pandemic should be viewed with caution.

Blog

September 29, 2020

Cost and Safety of Food Are Major Factors Influencing Adolescents’ Food Choices in Urban Ethiopia

Innovative study invited students to share their thoughts on challenges and opportunities for eating healthy diets through photos as well as written responses.

Blog

September 17, 2020

COVID-19: The Virus Will Mostly Spare Young Children; The Economic Crisis Will Not

The authors, writing on behalf of the Standing Together for Nutrition Research group, quantify the potential scale of child mortality and malnutrition impacts under COVID-19.

Blog

September 15, 2020

Sustainability of Food Systems: 5 Steps Beyond the EAT-Lancet Report

A new paper highlights five areas of research and action that require more attention if we are to ensure a sustainable food system transformation.

Blog

September 10, 2020

Catch-Up Growth Cannot Undo Damage from Undernutrition

Authors of a new paper discuss the possible profound, irreversible effects of undernourishment early in life.

Events

September 4, 2020

Supermarketization is Not the Only Strategy to Enhance Food Safety in China

In a new paper, the author explores how supermarketization of China's vegetable sector has impacted vegetable safety.

Blog

September 1, 2020

The Challenges of Influencing Consumer Behavior to Improve Food Safety

Two studies in Kenya examine risk perceptions of aflatoxin in maize

Blog

August 27, 2020

Household Dietary Diversity is a Strong Predictor of Average Nutrient Adequacy in Ethiopia

New paper examines associations between household dietary diversity score and mean probability of nutrient adequacy, and potential threshold effects of HDDS in Ethiopia.

Blog

August 25, 2020

It's About Time: Intergenerational Equity and Nutrition

Stuart Gillespie explores equity and nutrition, and how actions we do -- or don't -- take now will have impacts for generations to come.

Blog

August 14, 2020

COVID-19 and Global Food Security: Reflecting on What We Have Learned So Far

A4NH's Director shares thoughts on the pandemic's impact on low- and middle-income countries, and considerations for building back more inclusive and resilient systems.

Blog

July 28, 2020

Indian Diets Fall Short of EAT-Lancet Reference Recommendations for Human and Planetary Health

Availability, accessibility, awareness, affordability, and acceptability are obstacles to achieving healthy and sustainable diets for all in India.

Blog

July 9, 2020

One Month Later: New Survey Suggests Continued Rising Risk of Food and Nutrition Insecurity in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, as COVID-19 Restrictions Continue

Follow-up survey results suggest food security situation has not yet deteriorated, but savings used as primary coping device could run out in the near future.

Blog

July 31, 2020

Research Priorities to Achieve Africa’s Food Security and Nutrition Needs

With a survey deadline extended until August 7, the authors discuss a priority-setting exercise for food security and nutrition.

Blog

July 20, 2020

Uniting Equity and Governance: An Urgent Agenda

A recent literature review examines how governance and equity have come together in agriculture, nutrition, and health research over time.

Flagships

June 23, 2020

CGIAR Announces New COVID-19 Hub to Support Global Scientific Response

As the UN warns of an impending global food emergency, researchers in health, nutrition and agriculture unite to support response, recovery and resilience.

Blog

June 1, 2020

A Food Environment Typology for Global Application

Typology includes wild and cultivated, and formal and informal built food environments, to better reflect the diverse food environments in communities around the world.

Blog

May 20, 2020

COVID-19 and Global Trade Implications for Food Systems and Healthy Diets

The authors consider rippling impacts of COVID-19 on trade as food system actors experience loss of income and supply chains close or are seriously disrupted.

Blog

April 27, 2020

Trade: Good or Bad for the Sustainability of Our Food System?

New paper explores food system dynamics by considering system drivers and sustainability factors.

Blog

April 20, 2020

Reshaping Food Systems After COVID-19

Food systems are undergoing transformations all over the world. How will COVID-19 shape those transformations, and what steps can countries take to ensure people have access to healthy, sustainable diets?

Blog

March 5, 2020

Coronavirus Threat Looms Large for Low-Income Cities

In this blog, which first appeared on IIED.org, the authors discuss how weak infrastructure would leave urban settlements in low-income countries highly vulnerable, should the rapid spread of COVID-19 continue.

Basics

October 17, 2019

Video: Understanding Food Systems for Healthier Diets

This animated video from A4NH explains food systems, their complex, rapid transformations, and challenges low- and middle-income countries face in making them healthy and sustainable.