Scaling Up Impact on Nutrition: What Will It Take?
This review draws on a large scaling-up literature search and 4 case studies of large-scale nutrition programmes
Abstract
Despite consensus on actions to improve nutrition globally, less is known about how to operationalize the right mix of actions - nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive - equitably, at scale, in different contexts. This review draws on a large scaling-up literature search and 4 case studies of large-scale nutrition programs with proven impact to synthesize critical elements for impact at scale. 9 elements emerged as central:
- having a clear vision or goal for impact;
- intervention characteristics;
- an enabling organizational context for scaling up;
- establishing drivers such as catalysts, champions, system-wide ownership, and incentives;
- choosing contextually relevant strategies and pathways for scaling up,
- building operational and strategic capacities;
- ensuring adequacy, stability, and flexibility of financing;
- ensuring adequate governance structures and systems;
- embedding mechanisms for monitoring, learning, and accountability.
Translating current political commitment to large-scale impact on nutrition will require robust attention to these elements. There is a brief on this research
This research is supported by the Department for International Development’s Transform Nutrition Programme which is led by International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)
Citation
Gillespie, S.; Menon, P.; Kennedy, A.L. Scaling Up Impact on Nutrition: What Will It Take? Advances in Nutrition (2015) 6: 440-451.