Integrating Nutrition in Aquaculture/Agriculture

in AINUsing the Aquaculture/Agriculture - Nutrition Linkages Component

developed

and

Beginning with Nutrition Education for Behaviour Change in ENA and EHA

Based on the Rationale:

•Enhancing household income and food production are important contributors to improving nutrition, especially in households dependent on agriculture for primary livelihood

•Incorporating nutrition education into agricultural investments helps to translate production and income gains into nutrition improvements

Training Needs Assessment (TNA)

First Step

•Staff level

•Farmer level• Household aquaculture farmer groups• Commercial aquaculture farmer group• Mola farmer groups• Demo farmer groups• Shrimp farmer groups

TNA results

• Very few staff had nutrition training for more than 1 hour

• Many knew about exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months but were not sure what it meant

• They knew that a child needs complementary feeding (CF) but not sure when to start

• They were not aware about age appropriate CF (e.g. frequency of feeding, amount, density)

• Most had heard about ante-natal care (ANC) but did not know its importance. How often?

• They knew that pregnant and lactating women need iron but not why?

• Hand washing: usually washed hands with water before eating and after defaecation

Training of Trainers (ToT) in AIN

• 355 staff are directly involved with household farmers

• 4 days nutrition training was given to the staff which includes:

• Complementary feeding• Adolescents’ nutrition• Women’s (pregnant and lactating)

nutrition • Hygiene practices (critical

moments for hand washing)• Tippy tap installation• Cooking demonstration (mola

chop, OSP halwa)

Implementation plan for 2014 in AIN

Farmers’ training (Group meetings)

•8 sessions (March - September) (2 hr/session)

•In 2nd - 7th sessions: nutrition education for 30-40 minutes

•8th session: entirely on nutrition (2 hr)

Pond/household visit

•Every 2nd month

•Individual problem to be discussed

Supervision and Follow up

• To be done by partner organization experienced in the field of nutrition

• Random check of some the group training sessions as well as pond/households visits, observe and keep notes of issues to be discussed at monthly meeting

• Monthly meetings with field facilitators (FFs) and technical specialist (TS).

• Success and failure stories, solutions and obstacles to be discussed at monthly meetings

Hand washing manual

Opportunities

• Production of micronutrient rich fish and vegetables being promoted in the same households

• Increased production and productivity are more likely to increase consumption of in the households (specially in women and young children) as they are being given nutrition education

• Easy access of nutrient-rich foods by women from pond/dyke/homestead garden to kitchen/cooking pot

• Increase availability of micronutrient-rich foods at local market

• Reduce gender inequality

Challenges

• Nutrition training is given to the staff who are mainly involved with agriculture production

• No field level staff with nutrition background

• Lack of interest and commitment of all level of staff towards nutrition

• The same staff to give both Production and Nutrition training

• During production season, staff might not have enough time to focus on nutrition education

• Follow up, supervision and monitoring - need qualified and experienced partner

• Little time shortage for intervention - households are phased out after 2 years

Thank you