Ghana&Mali_Joint_Planning_Meeting_Jan2015

Background
Improving nutrition of rural farm families, especially women and children under 24 months is a key component of the 5-year, USAID-funded, IITA-led, Africa Research in Sustainable Intensification for the Next Generation (Africa RISING) project being implemented rural communities in northern Ghana and southern Mali. A recent mid-term external review of the project made the underlisted recommendations on the household nutrition research-for-development activities. Consequently, IITA, ICRISAT, AVRDC and partners agreed to organize this workshop to address some of the recommendations.
 * 1) Review data held globally on nutritional status of populations. Link with LANSET and international research institutions covering maternal and child health, and production and nutrition linkages.
 * 2) Draw up detailed plans, including sampling/ research designs as soon as possible and establish links with relevant national health and nutrition programmes to ensure scaled outcomes.
 * 3) The World Vegetable Centre (AVRDC), University for Development Studies (UDS) and Institut d’Economie Rurale should prepare a comparative research program cutting across Ghana and Mali focused on children 24 months and under, pregnant women and different household categories.
 * 4) In Mali, the nutrition schools appear to have produced a few success stories in 2012. If a sample of participants can be identified, a systematic study designed for learning should assess the hypothesis that Nutritional Schools stimulate changes in cropping patterns.

Specific objectives

 * 1) Review past and current activities on improving household nutrition – Ghana and Mali.
 * 2) Discuss the mid-term review recommendations and make suggestions for addressing them.
 * 3) Identify research-for-development activities on improving household nutrition that can be implemented in both countries.
 * 4) Prepare a draft work-plan (including sampling and research design) for implementation of activities.
 * 5) Identify national and international research and development partners for the implementation of the work-plan.
 * 6) Outline mechanisms to strengthen knowledge sharing and learning across countries.

Workshop outputs

 * 1) A work-shop report summarizing key conclusions.
 * 2) Suggestions on how to address the mid-term project review recommendations.
 * 3) Draft work-plan on improving household nutrition at the project sites in Ghana and Mali ([[file:Workplan Template-JointGhana&MaliPlanningMeeting-Jan2015.doc|Click here to download work-plan template]])