MYANMAR – SUSTAIN, A NUTRITION-SENSITIVE FOOD SECURITY INTERVENTION

As part of its work to promote Food Security and Livelihoods interventions aiming at preventing undernutrition, ACF has produced a set of practical case studies based on recent and current nutrition-sensitive interventions in different contexts. This case study presents an innovative intervention currently being implemented in Myanmar

Although Myanmar is considered a food-surplus country with high agriculture potential and an abundance of natural resources, it is one of the poorest countries in Asia and ranks 132 on the 2010 HDI classification. Chronic food and nutrition insecurity is the consequence of a number of situations: unfavourable economic policies, rural underdevelopment, vagaries of weather, and the marginalisation of some sectors of the population.

As a consequence, the ability for many households to access sufficient levels of food as well as basic services such as clean water, health and education has been affected and is particularly pronounced on the borders and among ethnic minorities. In 2012, ACF, in collaboration with GRET (Groupe de Recherche et d’Echanges Technologiques) and Welthungerhilfe, designed the SUSTAIN project with the aim of improving the nutritional status of vulnerable populations through a sustainable increased consumption of micronutrient-rich foods, and enhanced practices of optimal nutrition and care. A short case study has been developed to present the innovative approach used for this project, in order to raise awareness and share good practices on how Food Security interventions can contribute to the prevention of undernutrition.

The document part of a set of studies on nutrition-sensitive interventions developed by the ACF “Aligning Food Security and Livelihoods (FSL) with Nutrition” Working Group to show how these interventions can effectively contribute to a better nutrition, by using a nutrition lens at different steps of the project cycle. The aim of the “Aligning Food Security and Livelihoods with Nutrition” Working Group is to promote and scale up nutrition sensitive FSL interventions, through documenting lessons learnt, building evidence, developing tools and guidance and building capacity.

The full set of case studies can be found here: Our Expertise : fighting the causes and consequences of hunger – Action against Hunger (actioncontrelafaim.org)

For more information on the “Aligning” approach, please refer to the ACF manual: Maximising the Nutritional Impact of Food Security and Livelihoods Interventions. A Manual for Field Workers. Case studies : maximising the nutritional impact of foos security and livelihoods interventions (actioncontrelafaim.org)