Improving nutrition as a development priority: Addressing undernutrition in national policy processes in Sub-Saharan Africa

Undernutrition remains a major source of human suffering and an obstacle to national economic and human development in many African countries. This report investigates undernutrition's persistence, drawing on case studies of the public response to the problem in Ghana, Mozambique, Nigeria, and Ugand...

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Autor principal: Benson, Todd
Formato: Informe técnico
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: International Food Policy Research Institute 2008
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/160323
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author Benson, Todd
author_browse Benson, Todd
author_facet Benson, Todd
author_sort Benson, Todd
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Undernutrition remains a major source of human suffering and an obstacle to national economic and human development in many African countries. This report investigates undernutrition's persistence, drawing on case studies of the public response to the problem in Ghana, Mozambique, Nigeria, and Uganda. Analyzing each nation's policymaking structures, political actors, understanding of undernutrition, and the timing of public responses, the author explains why none of these four nations has mounted an effective campaign to eliminate undernutrition. The author identifes several different causes of this shortcoming, with one underlying flaw in the various public responses standing out: a fundamental failure on the part of political leaders to see undernutrition as a grave problem that undermines development efforts in their nations. The author concludes that an effective response to undernutrition in these countries requires the formation of national advocacy coalitions that can raise public awareness of the problem, highlight policymakers' duty to ensure the nutrition of their citizens, and link proper nutrition to general national development. This report should serve as a resource for advocates, researchers, and others concerned with undernutrition in Africa.
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spelling CGSpace1603232025-11-06T07:17:32Z Improving nutrition as a development priority: Addressing undernutrition in national policy processes in Sub-Saharan Africa Benson, Todd nutrition policies developing countries malnutrition nutrition security policies Undernutrition remains a major source of human suffering and an obstacle to national economic and human development in many African countries. This report investigates undernutrition's persistence, drawing on case studies of the public response to the problem in Ghana, Mozambique, Nigeria, and Uganda. Analyzing each nation's policymaking structures, political actors, understanding of undernutrition, and the timing of public responses, the author explains why none of these four nations has mounted an effective campaign to eliminate undernutrition. The author identifes several different causes of this shortcoming, with one underlying flaw in the various public responses standing out: a fundamental failure on the part of political leaders to see undernutrition as a grave problem that undermines development efforts in their nations. The author concludes that an effective response to undernutrition in these countries requires the formation of national advocacy coalitions that can raise public awareness of the problem, highlight policymakers' duty to ensure the nutrition of their citizens, and link proper nutrition to general national development. This report should serve as a resource for advocates, researchers, and others concerned with undernutrition in Africa. 2008 2024-11-21T09:50:29Z 2024-11-21T09:50:29Z Report https://hdl.handle.net/10568/160323 en Open Access application/pdf International Food Policy Research Institute Benson, Todd. 2008. Improving nutrition as a development priority. Research Report 156. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute https://doi.org/10.2499/9780896291652rr156.
spellingShingle nutrition policies
developing countries
malnutrition
nutrition security
policies
Benson, Todd
Improving nutrition as a development priority: Addressing undernutrition in national policy processes in Sub-Saharan Africa
title Improving nutrition as a development priority: Addressing undernutrition in national policy processes in Sub-Saharan Africa
title_full Improving nutrition as a development priority: Addressing undernutrition in national policy processes in Sub-Saharan Africa
title_fullStr Improving nutrition as a development priority: Addressing undernutrition in national policy processes in Sub-Saharan Africa
title_full_unstemmed Improving nutrition as a development priority: Addressing undernutrition in national policy processes in Sub-Saharan Africa
title_short Improving nutrition as a development priority: Addressing undernutrition in national policy processes in Sub-Saharan Africa
title_sort improving nutrition as a development priority addressing undernutrition in national policy processes in sub saharan africa
topic nutrition policies
developing countries
malnutrition
nutrition security
policies
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/160323
work_keys_str_mv AT bensontodd improvingnutritionasadevelopmentpriorityaddressingundernutritioninnationalpolicyprocessesinsubsaharanafrica