DEVELOPMENT AIMS TO PROVIDE PEOPLE with the means and the social and economic environment necessary to lead active, healthy and productive lives. To achieve this objective, developmental policies and programmes need to be directed towards improving the human development potential, including improvement of nutritional well-being. Nutrition-focused interventions are required primarily to reach and benefit vulnerable individuals. Factors that influence nutritional status, however, fall under the responsibilities of many sectors. All these factors need to be addressed in order to achieve good nutrition and health status. Furthermore, it is crucial that policy-makers and planners in all development sectors recognize and understand the socio-economic background and preferences of target groups. Hence, the principle of coordinated, holistic approaches in policy formulation and programme design is key to successful and sustainable development.
It is important that the integral role of nutrition in development be taken into account during policy formulation, programme planning and implementation. Most importantly, the synergistic effect of sector programmes (and hence policies) needs to be well understood. This will assist in discouraging unnecessary competition for political support and funding. Instead, it will promote collaboration among different sectors and disciplines, and will contribute to the elaboration of a development agenda which is sustainable and beneficial to the target groups.
The overall objective of this Policy Brief is to create awareness and understanding of the advantages of good nutritional status for the development process, so that nutrition considerations can be incorporated into development policies to facilitate sustainable development.
FOOD AND NUTRITION DIVISION
Food and
Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations
Viale delle
Terme di
Caracalla
00100 Rome,
Italy
www.fao.org
www.fao.org/es/esn/NUTRI.htm
