Design and Monitor Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture and Food Systems Programmes

CONCEPT NOTE

INTERNATIONAL TRAINING ON DESIGN AND MONITOR NUTRITION-SENSITIVE AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SYSTEMS PROGRAMMES

COURSE BACKGROUND

Malnutrition in all its forms remains a significant global challenge, despite substantial investments in agriculture and food systems. While there’s growing consensus on the critical role of agriculture in improving nutritional outcomes, many existing programs and policies often lack a deliberate “nutrition-sensitive” approach in their design, implementation, and monitoring. This results in missed opportunities to leverage agricultural development for enhanced health and well-being, leading to sub-optimal impact on vulnerable populations. The complexity of these linkages often leaves development professionals without the practical tools and structured guidance needed to effectively integrate nutrition considerations into their work.

ECAS Institute, recognizing this critical capacity gap within the development landscape, has specifically developed and is offering this e-learning course. As a leading institution dedicated to professional development and capacity building in sustainable development, ECAS is committed to providing practical, evidence-based training that addresses real-world challenges. This course emerges from ECAS’s strategic focus on strengthening human capital in food security and nutrition, bridging the theoretical understanding of nutrition-sensitive approaches with the practical skills required for their successful application in diverse contexts.

This course, the fourth in ECAS’s comprehensive e-learning series on Nutrition and Food Systems, is designed to equip professionals with the essential knowledge and practical tools to effectively integrate nutrition into agriculture and food systems initiatives. By guiding participants through a step-by-step process for program design and monitoring, ECAS aims to empower practitioners to develop and manage interventions that genuinely contribute to improved nutritional outcomes, thereby maximizing the impact of agricultural investments on public health and food security.

COURSE OBJECTIVES OF THE TRAINING

Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:

Understand and apply basic concepts of agriculture-to-nutrition impact pathways through practical, scenario-based examples.
Formulate clear and measurable nutrition-sensitive objectives and outcomes for agriculture and food systems programmes.
Effectively target nutritionally vulnerable populations and prioritize interventions based on their specific needs.
Define key elements of a robust implementation strategy, including capacity building and partnership development.
Design an effective monitoring system to track progress and evaluate the impact of nutrition-sensitive programmes.
Consider and accurately estimate the costing of nutrition-related elements within programme budgets.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

This course will provide participants with a practical framework for designing and monitoring nutrition-sensitive agriculture and food systems programmes. You will learn:

The foundational principles and key concepts of how agriculture and food systems can positively influence nutritional outcomes.
A systematic approach to developing program objectives and outcomes that are inherently sensitive to nutrition.
Techniques for identifying and prioritizing interventions that effectively reach and benefit those most vulnerable to malnutrition.
How to build a clear impact pathway that links agricultural activities to desired nutritional changes.
Strategies for building essential capacities and forging effective partnerships for successful program implementation.
The methodologies for setting up a comprehensive monitoring system to track key nutrition indicators and program performance.
Practical considerations and methods for costing the nutrition-specific components of your programs.

DURATION AND PROGRAM

TARGET PARTICIPANTS

The course is designed for a diverse range of professionals involved in agriculture and food systems who are interested in or directly involved in designing nutrition-sensitive programmes, investments, and policies. This includes staff working in:

National Governments: Ministries of Agriculture, Health, Planning, etc.
Regional and International Organizations: Agencies focusing on food security, nutrition, and development.
Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs): Program managers, technical advisors, and field staff.
Research Institutes and Universities: Researchers, academics, and students focused on food systems and nutrition.
Development Agencies: Program officers and technical specialists.
Private Sector: Professionals involved in food production, processing, and distribution.

TRAINING MODULES

The course is divided into seven sequential lessons, each focusing on a critical aspect of designing and monitoring nutrition-sensitive agriculture and food systems programmes:

No	Module	Details
1.	Introduction: Agriculture-to-Nutrition Impact Pathways. Key Concepts	This introductory lesson lays the groundwork for understanding the complex relationship between agricultural interventions and their potential impact on nutrition. It will establish the foundational concepts necessary to approach food systems with a nutrition-sensitive lens. The key objectives are: Introduction to the linkages between agriculture, food systems, and nutrition. Understanding direct and indirect impact pathways. Key definitions and conceptual frameworks. Importance of a nutrition-sensitive approach.
2.	Step 1: Formulating Nutrition-Sensitive Objectives and Outcomes	This module focuses on the crucial first step in program design: defining what success looks like from a nutrition perspective. Participants will learn how to translate broad goals into specific, measurable objectives and outcomes that genuinely address nutritional needs. The key objectives are: Principles of SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) objective setting in a nutrition context. Identifying relevant nutritional outcomes for agricultural interventions. Practical exercises in drafting nutrition-sensitive objectives and outcomes.
3.	Step 2: Target the Nutritionally Vulnerable and Prioritize Interventions Accordingly	Effective nutrition programming requires precise targeting. This lesson guides participants on how to identify populations most vulnerable to malnutrition and make informed decisions on which interventions will yield the greatest benefit for these groups. The key objectives include: Methods for identifying and assessing nutritionally vulnerable groups (e.g., women of reproductive age, young children). Criteria for prioritizing interventions based on impact potential and feasibility. Case studies on effective targeting strategies
4.	Step 3: Build Your Impact Pathway	Understanding how program activities lead to desired nutrition outcomes is fundamental. This module delves into developing a clear impact pathway, enabling participants to visualize and articulate the logical sequence of changes expected from their interventions. The key objectives are: Developing a logical framework or theory of change for nutrition-sensitive programs. Mapping activities, outputs, outcomes, and impacts related to nutrition. Identifying assumptions and risks in the impact pathway.
5.	Step 4: Define Your Implementation Strategy	A well-designed program needs a robust strategy for execution. This lesson focuses on the practical aspects of implementation, including building essential capacities and forging effective partnerships that are critical for achieving nutrition outcomes. The key objectives are: Assessing and strengthening human and institutional capacities for nutrition-sensitive programming. Strategies for building effective partnerships (multi-sectoral, multi-stakeholder). Resource mobilization and sustainability considerations.
6.	Step 5: Design a Monitoring System	Monitoring is key to knowing if a program is on track and making progress towards its nutrition goals. This module provides guidance on developing a comprehensive monitoring system, selecting appropriate indicators, and collecting meaningful data. The key objectives are: Key nutrition indicators for agriculture and food systems programs. Developing a robust monitoring and evaluation (M&E) plan. Data collection methods and tools for nutrition-sensitive programming. Reporting and using M&E data for adaptive management.
7.	Step 6: Costing Nutrition-Related Elements	Understanding the financial implications of nutrition-sensitive interventions is crucial for effective resource allocation and sustainability. This final lesson focuses on practical approaches to costing the nutrition components of programs. The key objectives are: Understanding the importance of costing nutrition interventions. Methods for estimating costs of nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive activities. Budgeting considerations for sustainable nutrition programming.

TRAINING STYLE

The modules will be taught through PowerPoint presentations, and lectures and will include a case study/field visit, breakout sessions, case studies and other interactive discussion components.

The course will also include a few guest speakers, both in person and via Zoom and other online learning platforms for overseas speakers. This provides useful real-world insights alongside the more theoretical aspects of the course.

The conference faculty shall consist of experienced decision makers, as well as practitioners and representatives from established educational and research institutions active around climate change, engineering and international development. Throughout the course, theoretical presentation of concepts will be moderated and more group discussions and plenary engagements will be optimized. PowerPoint presentations will be made by facilitators and resource persons, to highlight key concepts before embarking on group work.

GENERAL NOTES

Training manuals and additional reference materials are provided to the participants.
Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be issued with a certificate.
We can also do this as a tailor-made course to meet organization-wide needs. Contact us to find out more: info@ecasiafrica.org.
Payment should be sent to our bank account before the start of training and proof of payment sent to: info@ecasiafrica.org.

ABOUT ECAS INSTITUTE

The ECAS Institute designs and delivers independent and targeted training, research, and consulting services. Our work focusses on climate change and resilience building, carbon markets, renewable energy, nature-based solution, biodiversity conservation, agriculture and food systems, We are located in Nairobi Kenya and work across the African region. We have implemented training and research assignments in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, Somalia, Malawi, Rwanda, Congo, and South Africa. Globally, we have supported our partners from the UK, Denmark, Italy, Sweden, Germany, and USA.