战略与国际研究中心-Seeds-of-Change--The-Power-of-Fruits-and-Vegetables-to-Improve-Nutrition-in-Tanzania_75页_10mb

Summary of SEEDS of CHANGE: The Power of Fruits and Vegetables to Improve Nutrition in Tanzania

Core Content

SEEDS of CHANGE is a report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) that explores the role of fruits and vegetables in improving nutrition in Tanzania. The report focuses on the barriers to fruit and vegetable consumption at the individual and household level, current strategies to increase their intake funded by the U.S., a foreign aid donor, and a local organization, and the necessary multisectoral and public-private approaches to enhance consumption.

Main Viewpoints

1. The Importance of Fruits and Vegetables

• Fruits and vegetables are essential for optimal nutrition and health, especially during critical growth periods like the first 1,000 days of life.
• They contribute to reducing the triple burden of malnutrition: undernutrition, overweight/obesity, and micronutrient deficiencies.
• Inadequate fruit and vegetable intake is a major contributor to global disease burden, with 3.9 million deaths in 2017 attributed to poor diet.
• The report highlights that Tanzania has set ambitious nutrition targets, including reducing stunting to 15% by 2025.

2. Barriers to Consumption

• Lack of knowledge: Misunderstanding between hunger and nutritional needs, and generational misinformation about cooking vegetables.
• Taboos: Concerns about certain vegetables affecting male reproductive health.
• Affordability and accessibility: Fruits and vegetables are less affordable in urban areas, and many smallholder farmers and local retailers lack access to storage, seeds, and financing.
• Postharvest losses: Up to 50% of produce is lost due to inadequate cooling, physical damage, and poor storage.
• Low awareness: Education on preventing overweight, obesity, and NCDs is minimal in most projects.

3. Current Strategies and Projects

• Mboga na Matunda (USAID, $25M): Led by Fintrac, with support from the Tanzania Horticulture Association.
• Vegetables for All (Netherlands & private sector, $3.4M): Co-funded by the Netherlands and the private sector, led by the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition and Rijk Zwaan.
• Liske Endelevu (USAID, $20M): Led by Save the Children, with support from Deloitte Consulting and other partners.
• LiskeYangu Initiative, LiskeClub (ONA Enterprises Ltd, local community, ASAS Dairy Farm Ltd, & Denmark): A grassroots initiative focused on nutrition education in schools.

4. Multisectoral and Public-Private Approaches

• Integrated strategies are necessary to address the complex nature of nutrition, which involves agriculture, health, education, and more.
• Public-private partnerships (e.g., Vegetables for All) are key to scaling up fruit and vegetable consumption, with seed companies playing a central role.
• Multisectoral collaboration across government ministries and with local and international actors is essential for sustainable change.
• Gender-sensitive approaches are important, as men play a significant role in food decision-making, while women are responsible for household health.

Key Recommendations

1. Creating Consumer Demand

• Focus on taste, convenience, and desirability to increase fruit and vegetable consumption.
• Use mass communication methods, such as radio and social media, to reach broader audiences.
• Emphasize the importance of nutrition education for adolescent girls and pregnant women to shape future children's food preferences.

2. Broadening Implementation

• Incorporate WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) to improve food safety and hygiene.
• Extend the focus to men as nutrition beneficiaries, as they influence household food decisions.
• Integrate NCD awareness into nutrition programs, given the rising rates of overweight and obesity in Tanzania.

3. Scaling Up an Integrated Multisectoral Approach

• Conduct a large-scale evaluation of USAID/Tanzania to identify gaps and opportunities.
• Engage multiple sectors (agriculture, health, education, etc.) to address the root causes of malnutrition.
• Develop a unified framework for coordination across U.S. agencies to enhance the effectiveness of global nutrition activities.

4. Accelerating Public-Private Engagement

• Encourage collaboration with a broader range of private sector actors, including SMEs.
• Establish clear roles and responsibilities in public-private partnerships to ensure effective governance.
• Use external evaluations to build a stronger evidence base for successful partnerships.

Key Information

• Tanzania has a significant challenge with malnutrition, including stunting in 32% of children under five and anemia in 30% of women of reproductive age.
• The U.S. is a major foreign aid donor for nutrition, with Feed the Future as a key initiative.
• USAID's nutrition disbursements in 2017 totaled $3,060 million, with a focus on both nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive interventions.
• The report underscores the need for a shift from quantity-based to quality-based nutrition strategies, especially in the context of growing urban populations and changing dietary patterns.
• Social media and mass communication campaigns are underutilized but offer significant potential for increasing awareness and consumption.

Conclusion

SEEDS of CHANGE emphasizes the need for a comprehensive, multisectoral, and gender-sensitive approach to improving fruit and vegetable consumption in Tanzania. It calls for stronger public-private engagement, increased awareness of NCDs, and better integration of WASH and other related sectors. The report serves as a guide for U.S. foreign policy and other donors to support sustainable nutrition improvements in Tanzania and beyond.