Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

A Farming System Model to Leverage Agriculture for Nutritional Outcomes

  • Commentary
  • Published:
Agricultural Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Agriculture is the primary livelihood of a majority of the population in South Asia. The region also houses a large population of undernourished people. The farming system for nutrition (FSN) model envisages developing and demonstrating a sustainable framework of farming to improve nutritional outcomes that can be used for upscaling and wider adoption. Agricultural intervention and farming systems research in India has been largely focused on enhancing production, productivity and profitability of crop and animal resources without much emphasis on better nutritional outcomes. The FSN model has been conceptualized to develop location-specific inclusive models to address the nutritional needs of farm and non-farm families based on their resource endowments and surrounding environment. The main components of the model are as follows: (1) survey to identify the major nutritional problems, (2) design suitable agricultural interventions to address the problems, (3) include specific nutritional criteria in the design, (4) improve small farm productivity and profitability, (5) undertake nutrition awareness programmes and (6) introduce monitoring systems for assessing impact on nutrition outcomes. The objective is to demonstrate feasibility of nutrition-sensitive agriculture. The proposed model is being tested in two select locations to demonstrate improvement in nutrition status through improved agricultural production system, dietary diversification, income enhancement, greater nutrition awareness and changed behaviour patterns, to be evaluated through a set of objective indicators.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

DMLT:

Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology

FAO:

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

FFS:

Farmer field school

FGD:

Focus group discussion

FLD:

Field level demonstration

FSN:

Farming System for Nutrition

GDP:

Gross domestic product

ICT:

Information and communication technology

IEC:

Information, education and communication

IFPRI:

International Food Policy Research Institute

KAP:

Knowledge, attitude, practice

PRA:

Participatory rural appraisal

UNICEF:

United Nations Children’s Fund

WASH:

Water, sanitation and hygiene

WHO:

World Health Organization

References

  1. Alderman H (1987) Cooperative dairy development in Karnataka, India: An assessment. Research report 64, Washington DC: IFPRI. http://www.ifpri.org/sites/default/files/publications/rr64.pdf. Accessed 28 Mar 2014

  2. Berti P, Krasevec J, FitzGerald S (2004) A review of the effectiveness of agriculture interventions in improving nutrition outcomes. Public Health Nutr 7(5):599–609

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Bouis HE (2000) Improving human nutrition through agriculture: the role of international agricultural research Conference summary and recommendations. Food Nutr Bull 21(4): 550–567. http://www.ifpri.org/sites/default/files/publications/bouis00_04.pdf. Accessed 16 June 2014

  4. FAO (2013) The state of food and agriculture: Food systems for better nutrition. Rome: FAO

    Google Scholar 

  5. FAO (2013) Synthesis of guiding principles on agriculture programming for nutrition. Rome: FAO

    Google Scholar 

  6. Gillespie S, Harris J, Kadiyala S. (2012) The agriculture-nutrition disconnect in India—What do we know? IFPRI Discussion Paper 01187. Washington DC: IFPRI

  7. Government of India (2009) National Family Health Survey (NFHS-3) 2005–06. New Delhi: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. http://www.measuredhs.com/pubs/pdf/FRIND3/00FrontMatter00.pdf. Accessed 28 Mar 2014

  8. Government of India (2013) Economic survey 2012–13. New Delhi: Ministry of Finance. http://indiabudget.nic.in/budget2013-2014/es2012-13/echap-01.pdf. Accessed 1 June 2014

  9. Gulati A, Ganesh-Kumar A, Shreedhar G, Nandakumar T (2012) Agriculture and malnutrition in India. Food Nutr Bull 33(1):74–86

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Kodkany BS, Bellad RM, Mahantshetti NS, Westcott JE, Krebs NF, Kemp JF, Hambidge KM (2013) Biofortification of pearl millet with iron and zinc in a randomized controlled trial increases absorption of these minerals above physiologic requirements in young children. J Nutr 143(9):1489–1493

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Leroy J, Frongillo E (2007) Can interventions to promote animal production ameliorate undernutrition? J Nutr 137(1):2311–2316

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Low J, Arimond M, Osman N, Cunguara B, Zano F, Tschirley D (2007) A food-based approach: introducing orange-fleshed sweet potatoes increased vitamin A intake and serum retinol concentrations in young children in Mozambique. J Nutr 137(5):1320–1327

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Masset E, Haddad L, Cornelius A, Isaza-Castro J (2011) A systematic review of agricultural interventions that aim to improve nutritional status of children. EPPI-Centre, Social Science Research Unit, Institute of Education, University of London, London

  14. McKenzie D (2011) Beyond baseline and follow-up: the case for more T in experiments. J Dev Econ 99(2):210–221

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Miller DD, Welch RM (2013) Food system strategies for preventing micronutrient malnutrition. Food Policy 42:115–128. http://www.uib.no/filearchive/miller-and-welch-food-policy-2013.pdf. Accessed 7 June 2014

  16. Mullins G, Wahome L, Tsangari P, Maarse L (1996) Impacts of intensive dairy production on smallholder farm women in coastal Kenya. Hum Ecol 24:231–253

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Rainer G, Hans S, Hans P, Hans-Joachim AP (2000) The four dimensions of food and nutrition security: definitions and concepts. European Union and FAO. http://www.foodsec.org/DL/course/shortcourseFA/en/pdf/P-01_RG_Concept.pdf. Accessed 28 Mar 2014

  18. Susan H (1999) Opportunities for investments in nutrition in low-income Asia. Asian Dev Rev 17(1, 2):246–273

    Google Scholar 

  19. Swaminathan MS (2012) Combating hunger. Science 338:1009

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Swaminathan MS (2013a) Genesis and growth of the yield revolution in wheat in India: lessons for shaping our agricultural destiny. Agric Res 2(3):183–188

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Swaminathan MS (2013b) Launching a nutri-farm movement. http://www.mssrf.org/notice-board.html. Accessed 28 Mar 2014

  22. United Nations (2012) Zero hunger challenge. http://www.un.org/en/zerohunger/challenge.shtml. Accessed 28 Mar 2014

  23. United Nations Children’s Fund, World Health Organization, The World Bank (2012) UNICEF-WHO-World Bank Joint Child Malnutrition Estimates. New York: UNICEF, Geneva: WHO, Washington DC: World Bank

  24. UNICEF (1990) Strategy for improved nutrition of children and women in developing countries. New York: UNICEF

    Google Scholar 

  25. World Bank (2007) From agriculture to nutrition: pathways, synergies, and outcomes. Report No. 40196-GLB. Washington DC: World Bank

  26. Welch RM, Graham RD, Cakmak I (2013) Linking agricultural production practices to improving human nutrition and health. Rome: FAO and Geneva: WHO. http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/agn/pdf/WelchICN21edit_1July_01.pdf. Accessed 17 June 2014

  27. Wiggins S, Keats S (2013) Smallholder agriculture’s contribution to better nutrition. Report commissioned by the Hunger Alliance. London: Overseas Development Institute. http://www.odi.org.uk/sites/odi.org.uk/files/odi-assets/publications-opinion-files/8283.pdf. Accessed 17 June 2014

Download references

Acknowledgments

The research is being carried out as a part of the research programme consortium (RPC) on Leveraging Agriculture for Nutrition in South Asia (LANSA)—www.lansasouthasia.org. MSSRF is the lead partner of the RPC. The authors gratefully acknowledge the contribution of LANSA team members at MSSRF. The concept of FSN has been specially designed by M S Swaminathan (third author) for LANSA to provide agricultural remedies for nutritional maladies. The research is funded by UK Aid from the UK Government. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the UK government’s official policies.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. M S Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF), Chennai, 600113, Tamil Nadu, India

    Prasun Kumar Das, R. V. Bhavani & M. S. Swaminathan

Authors
  1. Prasun Kumar Das
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. R. V. Bhavani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. M. S. Swaminathan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to R. V. Bhavani.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Das, P.K., Bhavani, R.V. & Swaminathan, M.S. A Farming System Model to Leverage Agriculture for Nutritional Outcomes. Agric Res 3, 193–203 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40003-014-0119-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40003-014-0119-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation