Improved Nutrition Projects

Improved Nutrition

Undernutrition, particularly during the 1,000 days from pregnancy to a child’s second birthday, leads to lower levels of educational attainment, productivity, lifetime earnings, and economic growth rates. Horticulture plays a unique role in ensuring access to and availability of diverse, nutritious food. Increased dietary diversity is highly correlated with better health, and thus reduction of malnutrition and stunting. Increasing fruit and vegetable consumption is one of the few dietary strategies that can help improve both undernutrition and overnutrition, which can co-exist even in the same household (the so-called "double burden of malnutrition" in transitioning economies).

Empowering youth entrepreneurs through appropriate horticulture interventions in Nepal

Led by Rishikesh Dhakal, FORWARD Nepal

This project engages youth in gender-inclusive horticultural enterprise through the identification of profitable opportunities and creation of an effective financing framework, thus empowering young entrepreneurs to select and run successful horticultural businesses.

Nepal

Strengthening the horticulture sector in Niger

Led by Erin McGuire , University of California, Davis

The project builds on the Millennium Challenge Corporation’s efforts in Niger by strengthening key horticulture value chains and increasing the capacity of actors in the horticulture sector through this Mission buy-in from the USAID Mission in Niger.

Niger

Advancing technology based on urban and peri-urban horticulture needs in Bangladesh and Nepal

Led by Kalyani Tripathi, Agriculture and Forestry University (AFU)

This project focuses on enhancing urban and peri-urban community access to nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables, while creating employment opportunities for the local community, and promoting women and youth entrepreneurship development.

Nepal, Bangladesh

Small-scale producers in tomato greenhouse.

Determining the trade-offs between short and long horticulture value chains in Kenya

Led by Willis Owino, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology

A project focused on the impacts of long and short horticultural value chains on nutrition, economic and social outcomes, and the utilization of information communication technologies (ICTs) within these value chains, to determine the interventions and innovations required to achieve specific outcomes and avoid harmful unintended scaling outcomes.

Kenya

Developing innovative horticulture technologies for small-scale women farmers in Uganda

Developing innovative horticulture technologies for improved income and livelihoods among women small-scale producers in Uganda

Led by Robert Kajobe, Muni University

Through identification of practices to reduce pre- and post-harvest losses, along with effective marketing and market access strategies of vegetables, this project will improve household nutrition, increase sales, and elevate the household income status of women small-scale vegetable producers.

Uganda

Empowering Young Horticulture Researchers in Honduras

Led by Julio López Montes, Panamerican Agricultural School, Zamorano

A fellowship-oriented program that provides seed funding to higher-education students in Honduras to conduct small-scale research projects across the horticulture value chain. Students will be guided through a grant drafting and submission training program to increase capacity in applying for funding, and supporting expertise to implement research projects.

Honduras

Enhancing productivity, post-harvest management, and market access of African indigenous vegetables in Kenya

Led by Mumina Shibia, Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO)

A project focused on improving the livelihoods of small-scale producer women and youth farmers through increasing productivity, reducing postharvest losses, and enhancing market access to African indigenous vegetables (AIVs).

Kenya

Enhancing the production and consumption of AIVs to improve diets in Ghana and Mali

Enhancing the production and consumption of African indigenous fruits and vegetables (AIFV) to improve diets in Ghana and Mali

Led by Gloria Essilfie, University of Ghana

With emphasis on the promotion of women and youth-led enterprises, this project raises consumer awareness of the nutritional benefits of African indigenous fruits and vegetables (AIFVs) for dietary diversity, while increasing incomes for all actors along the value chain.

Ghana, Mali

Engaging youths in the production of indigenous vegetables and fruits in Nigeria

Increasing youth participation in the production of indigenous vegetables and fruits using climate-smart approaches leveraging locally available resources

Led by Atanda Oladejo, Obafemi Awolowo University

This research aims to increase employment opportunities in the horticulture sector through youth engagement with climate-smart soil management practices and digital tools to enhance African indigenous fruit and vegetable (AIFV) production.

Nigeria

Promoting of food and nutrition security through indigenous fruits and vegetables in Ghana and Mali

Promoting food and nutrition security in the West African sub-region through indigenous, neglected and underutilized fruits and vegetables

Led by Dr. Freda E. Asem, University of Ghana

Providing a deeper understanding of the significant role African indigenous fruit and vegetable (AIFVs) have in global food and nutrition security, this project investigates how actors along the value chain can increase income through enhanced production and consumption of and AIFVs in Ghana and Mali.

Ghana, Mali

Promoting technology for horticulture production as adaptation to climate change in Guatemala

Led by Rolando Cifuentes, Universidad del Valle de Guatemala (UVG)

For highland farmers who face elevated risks due to climate change, this project identifies the most effective protective structures, irrigation technologies, practices to improve soil health, and postharvest management practices to ensure the production of high-quality, safe, and nutritious produce.

Guatemala

women farmers harvesting leafy green vegetables inside nethouse

Building safe vegetable value chains in Cambodia

Led by Karen LeGrand, University of California, Davis

This international project team is focusing efforts on linking smallholder farmers to other value chain actors, to connect vegetable production with market demand.

Cambodia

Creating a market niche for 'food-safe' vegetables in Cambodia and Vietnam

Led by Cary J. Trexler, University of California, Davis

The rapid economic growth and population expansion of Cambodian and Vietnam presents opportunities for impacting the livelihood of many people, where horticulture remains an important undeveloped b

Cambodia, Vietnam

Delivering food safety education through social networks in Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua

Led by Jeffrey LeJeune, The Ohio State University

Contamination of vegetables with foodborne pathogens and spoilage organisms results in foodborne illness and economic losses.

Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua

Man and woman hold basket of leafy green vegetables in front of pond with floating garden in Bangladesh

Examining nutrition impacts of horticultural innovations in Bangladesh

As a collaborator with the Nutrition Innovation Lab at Tufts University, this research team is implementing three horticultural technologies and analyzing the impacts of these interventions on household nutrition and dietary diversity.

Bangladesh

Women harvesting leafy vegetables in a farm field.

Improving nutrition with African indigenous vegetables in Kenya and Zambia

Led by James Simon, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey

This project's research will support and strengthen African indigenous vegetable industries using a market-first, science-driven approach that connects stakeholders along the value chain.

Kenya, Zambia

Increasing nutrients in traditional diets with orange-fleshed sweet potatoes in Ghana

Led by Eunice Bonsi, Tuskegee University

Leading forms of malnutrition in developing countries are iron deficiency anemia and vitamin A deficiency, linked to lack of consumption of dark green leafy and orange vegetables.

Ghana

Investigating integrated vegetable-livestock systems in Cambodia

Led by Jessie Vipham, Kansas State University

The goal of this project is to understand how integrated animal-horticulture systems are most feasible for smallholders by rigorously addressing — through interdisciplinary research — the potential of these systems with regard to sustainable production capacity, income generation, and gender dimensions.

Cambodia

Two women hold various orange bread loafs and cakes.

Strengthening the value chain for orange and purple sweet potatoes in Ghana

Led by Eunice Bonsi, Tuskegee University

In Ghana, the prevalence of vitamin A deficiency is high among children and pregnant women — and contributes to one in three of child deaths between the ages of 6 to 59 months. Sweet pota

Ghana