Ingredients of Success: Country Case Studies on Nutrition Governance
Achieving improved nutrition outcomes by 2030 requires a collective effort between international, national and local nutrition actors. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has emphasized that to meet globally accepted nutrition targets, all global and local stakeholders must act “with countries taking the lead on improving their own nutrition status.” However, as noted in Catholic Relief Services’ (CRS) 2021 analysis, Recipe for Success: Accelerating Nutrition Governance, there are various barriers to countries taking the lead – from national governments struggling with competing priorities, poor coordination between national and sub-national levels, limited institutional capacity for nutrition programming, or insufficient data to adapt programming to rapidly changing contexts.
CRS undertook two country case studies – Kenya and Rwanda – to elevate examples of country-owned and -led efforts to reduce the burden of malnutrition, providing deeper contextual analysis that builds on its previous report. Despite their contextual differences, the two countries provide similar successes and challenges related to nutrition governance. Together, these case studies’ findings offer areas that both practitioners and donors can pursue to improve nutrition governance and accelerate progress towards improving nutrition outcomes.
Recommendations:
To strengthen nutrition governance and progress towards achieving improved nutrition outcomes, governments, donors and implementers should:
- Continue to elevate nutrition as a global, national and subnational policy priority with dedicated targets and accountability for progress.
- Develop a joint multi-sectoral strategy (such as a Common Results and Accountability Framework) for effective engagement of different sectors of government and the multiple non-governmental actors who have the capacity to influence nutrition.
- Enhance sensitization of common multi-sectoral nutrition indicators for clearer understanding.
- Strengthen the capacity of subnational nutrition coordination bodies with a focus on:
- the importance of systems strengthening;
- understanding of stakeholder’s mandates in the coordination mechanisms;
- the role of nutrition in nutrition-sensitive sectors;
- resource mobilization, with increased use of tools like financial tracking tools;
- data management and analysis; and
- advocacy and local leadership.
- Provide consistent training opportunities for nutrition actors, especially nutritionists and community health workers, with funding built in to programs and initiatives.
- Explore financing opportunities outlined in the SOFI 2024 report that are feasible and relevant to the country’s context.
- Anchor multi-sectoral platforms at a higher office of influence.
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Nutrition Governance Country Case Study: Kenya
April 2024
Nutrition Governance Country Case Study: Rwanda
September 2023
