Agri-food Value chain for Nutrition
I am happy to see the discussion on interaction of gender with other important aspect of agriculture and nutrition.
We are aware that the sectors (people) with greater improvement in technology (innovation) are better off and others have deterioration in terms of trade. Unfortunately the deteriorating terms of trade for agriculture could have made women worse off within agriculture (in terms of decision making power, purchasing power, comparative higher burden of work)
Given the above situation and large number of population dependent on agriculture makes child born in these household to be more vulnerable. As indicated earlier by Sirajul, mere participation of women in agricultural interventions might not change the above mentioned dynamics. To have a positive impact on nutrition, interventions should bring men as an important stakeholder to be sensitised.
I am citing an unfortunate instance of recent drought of Marathwada (in Maharashtra, India) where a girl child died because of the burden of carrying 70-80 lts. of water a day from a distance of a Km. Startling fact was that the male adult in the region did not considered carrying water as their task even in the stress situation. Perhaps because of the perception that carrying water is a non-income generating activity and ‘unproductive’ human resource- children and women, are supposed to do it.
Can we think of ways or cite any existing policies /initiative or interventions that are sensitive to these intricacies of gender for better nutritional outcome?
M. Rohit Parasasr
Continuing on the theme of how Value Chains (VCs) can enhance farmer income, I am citing a well-known Indian example of Amul (a dairy cooperative). The cooperative aggregated small livestock holder and provided access to all segment of markets (premium, mass level and varied geographical regions of India) by producing huge range of product like packaged milk, ice-creams, butter, milk powders etc. Initiatives on food safety, support for animal husbandry, efficient collection structure, professional management and persistent brand development has sustained the business for more than 5 decades.
Usually, in the want of higher value for products the lower economic section of society is often neglected as a target for nutritious food. Under the research theme - what public and private actions are needed to strengthen the impacts of agri-food value chains on nutrition? at LANSA, we reviewed 40 agri-food interventions that indicated strategies or potential to address undernutrition. Amulspray was chosen for detailed case study, as an example of a business driven agri-food value chain of a fortified naturally nutrient-dense food for children. Amulspray is an AMUL product that has enhanced accessibility to milk for poor as it sells in affordable packets and the use of components of traditional and modern VCs to reach rural and urban locations. Such VCs may play an important role in enhancing nutritional intake by vulnerable groups.
We will be discussing more cases from the South Asian region during the e-discussion on 25th and 26th of April. Interested participants can write us at [email protected] for registration.