Food system innovations for healthier diets in low and middle-income countries

Abstract

established in 1975, provides research-based policy solutions to sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger and malnutrition. IFPRI's strategic research aims to foster a climate-resilient and sustainable food supply; promote healthy diets and nutrition for all; build inclusive and efficient markets, trade systems, and food industries; transform agricultural and rural economies; and strengthen institutions and governance. Gender is integrated in all the Institute's work. Partnerships, communications, capacity strengthening, and data and knowledge management are essential components to translate IFPRI's research from action to impact. The Institute's regional and country programs play a critical role in responding to demand for food policy research and in delivering holistic support for country-led development. IFPRI collaborates with partners around the world.

Child-centered food systems: Reorienting food systems towards healthy diets for children

“…Food systems incorporate many elements and dimensions. They include children themselves as the "consumers" in the food system (and where relevant, their caregivers); food environments; and food supply systems (GLOPAN, 2016); plus the interconnected dimensions that influence and are influenced by the activities in this system de Brauw et al, 2019). A child-centered food system aligns all of these elements and dimensions towards healthier diets, with policies and interventions being mutually complementary -rather than incoherent -throughout the system.…”

Project DISRUPT - Game-changing innovations for healthy diets on a healthy planet

“…Vision for 2030: Affordable solar-powered refrigerated vehicles and facilities for reduced food loss and increased nutrient-dense food availability, safety, and quality 3D-Printed Plant-based Meat [19] Production of meat has a very high environmental impact, and in many countries, it takes up 85% of land to produce fodder for animal feed. This, in combination with negative impacts on animal welfare, has led to increased demand for plant-based meat.…”

“…The Delphi method refers to a set of questionnaire-based problem-solving and forecasting techniques that share three underlying characteristics: partial or complete anonymity, structured feedback to the participants, usually including a statistical summary, and iterative rounds to build consensus (12). Project Disrupt builds on several works published over the last few years by a number of research groups and institutions that have investigated potential innovations and interventions that separately or collectively address human and planetary health (8,(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22). Most of this prior work emphasises that disruptive innovation is critical to accelerate the transition towards a sustainable food system.…”

“…(2019) investigated food system innovations that have the potential to transform food systems performance in providing healthier diets for people in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). That study also set out a multidisciplinary framework for both identifying and analysing such innovations (19). Also in 2019, the High-Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (organised by the United Nations Committee on World Food Security) published a report investigating agroecological and other innovative approaches that have the potential to support the transition towards sustainable food systems (22).…”

Status of underutilized crop production: Its potentials for mitigating food insecurity

“…Despite tremendous efforts toward food and nutritional security, approximately 3 billion people still suffer from chronic hunger, 2 billion are struggling with food insecurity, and more than a third of the world's population is affected by micronutrient deficiencies (De Brauw et al., 2019). Although there is no region exempt from this epidemic, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) (2019) reported that the prevalence of malnutrition in 2005–2018 in Central Africa (32.4%) and East Africa (34.3%) was extremely high, whereas southern Africa had the lowest rate among African regions.…”