NUTRITION: Let agriculture "do no harm"
DAKAR: Agriculture is about food production, but often projects ultimately hurt communities' health and nutrition. When the focus is tons and dollars, experts say, getting people the nutrients they need can be lost.
Aid agencies and governments are increasingly looking at ways to ensure that agricultural investments support proper nutrition, including one methodology being developed by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and NGOs.
The "nutritional impact assessment tool", was developed by USAID's Infant and Young Child Nutrition Project (IYCN), led by PATH, CARE, the Manoff Group, and University Research Co., LLC.
"The tool would be a way for organizations designing or reviewing agricultural programmes to mitigate any risks or potential negative effects on nutrition - in other words a 'do no harm' approach," said Michael Zeilinger, head of the nutrition division with USAID's office of health, infectious disease and nutrition.
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