Community-based food and nutrition programmes:what makes them successful

Abstract

In its efforts to improve nutrition, FAO is assisting member countries in developing and supporting community-based food and nutrition programmes. FAO believes that it is important to strengthen these programmes on the understanding that nutritional status is the most important outcome indicator to measure progress against poverty and malnutrition. To help in this process, FAO has commissioned an in-depth assessment and analysis of nine case studies (three programmes each from the regions of Afr ica, Asia and Latin America) in addition to three desk reviews to search for best practices that may account for successful outcomes and programme sustainability. This report presents the main features and findings of the case studies and highlights, analyses and discusses the main lessons learned. In turn, it has provided the theoretical and practical background for the preparation of a methodological guide entitled Improving nutrition programmes – an assessment tool for action, which is a companion publication to this report.