Agriculture, Food Systems, and Nutrition: Meeting the Challenge
This paper reviews the theory and qualitative evidence (particularly from 2010 to 2016) in the public health and nutrition literature
Abstract
Malnutrition is a global challenge with huge social and economic costs; nearly every country faces a public health challenge, whether from undernutrition, overweight/obesity, and/or micronutrient deficiencies. Malnutrition is a multisectoral, multi-level problem that results from the complex interplay between household and individual decision-making, agri-food, health, and environmental systems that determine access to services and resources, and related policy processes.
This paper reviews the theory and recent qualitative evidence (particularly from 2010 to 2016) in the public health and nutrition literature, on the role that agriculture plays in improving nutrition, how food systems are changing rapidly due to globalization, trade liberalization, and urbanization, and the implications this has for nutrition globally.
The paper ends by summarizing recommendations that emerge from this research related to (i) knowledge, evidence, and communications, (ii) politics, governance, and policy, and (iii) capacity, leadership, and financing.
This research was supported by the Leveraging Agriculture for Nutrition in South Asia (LANSA) programme
Citation
S. Gillespie, M. van den Bold. Agriculture, Food Systems, and Nutrition: Meeting the Challenge. Global Challenges 2017, 1, 1600002 DOI: 10.1002/gch2.201600002
Links
Agriculture, Food Systems, and Nutrition: Meeting the Challenge