On behalf of the Nutrition Working Group of the Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services, I’m writing to build on other contributions that have mentioned the roles that Rural Advisory Services (RAS, also known as Agricultural Extension) can make to more nutritious value chains. As they directly interface with farmers and other value chain actors, RAS often play a major role in informing farmers’ decisions. These decisions are key to realizing more nutrition-sensitive value chains. At present, however, RAS typically have limited familiarity with nutrition or the recommendations they could make to support better nutrition in their local contexts.
Our nascent working group serves to bring attention to the role that RAS can play in supporting more nutritious value chains and food systems, and to develop a research agenda for outstanding questions of how to best leverage RAS for these ends. We will soon unveil a repository of training materials and other information on how to integrate nutrition within extension and advisory services, and disseminate new information and networking opportunities via a participatory listserv.
For more information, and to join our listserv, please visit: http://www.g-fras.org/en/community/working-groups/nutrition-working-group.html
Edye Kuyper