RESHAPING AGRICULTURE FOR BETTER NUTRITION –
The Agriculture, Food, Nutrition, Health Nexus

13-14 August 2018, Canberra

Annie Major

Annie is a Senior Manager for ASI Asia Pacific and their in-house Monitoring and Results Measurement systems specialist for the Asia Pacific region, with experience working in Timor Leste, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Vietnam. She brings significant experience in the development of program logics, as well as practical experience in the use of the DCED Standard on Making Markets Work for the Poor programs, covering value chain, business development services (BDS) and Micro, Small and Medium (MSME). As the Monitoring Manager the ILO on the Business Opportunities and Support Services Project in Timor-Leste, Annie delivered an impact assessment on an agriculture invention and co-wrote a case study on this experience, reflecting on the application of the DCED Standard and realities of measuring impact of market systems projects in thin markets. She has also provided advisory inputs to the ILO on the use of the DCED Standard, has undertaken a baseline study on ASI’s MFAT-funded 5 year horticulture project in Myanmar and leads the design of M&E frameworks for ASI’s projects in South-East Asia. Annie led the development of the Monitoring and Evaluation framework, systems and baselines for DFAT’s 5 year AUD25m agriculture market systems development and nutrition program in Timor Leste (TOMAK), which commenced in June 2016 and recently established the MRM Framework and Plan for DFAT’s AUD14m market systems development program in Solomon Islands (Strongim Bisnis). Annie has a Bachelor of Management from the University of South Australia, a Masters degrees in International and Community Development and a Masters of International Relations – both from Deakin University.

Nutrition sensitive agriculture programming: addressing demand and supply side factors in Timor-Leste

Abstract

To contribute to the reduction of malnutrition in Timor Leste, particularly for women of reproductive age and children aged 6 – 23 months, DFAT’s To’os ba Moris Di’ak / Farming for Prosperity program applies a Nutrition Sensitive Agriculture (NSA) approach. This approach seeks to strengthen the contribution of agriculture to improving nutrition outcomes. Agriculture is nutrition-sensitive when it addresses the underlying causes of malnutrition.

The program focusses on supply-side and demand side issues surrounding nutrition. On the supply side, TOMAK aims to improve supply and year-round access to nutritious foods – particularly for women and children. This includes building NSA knowledge and skills at an institutional, as well as a community level and developing gender equitable decision-making in households. On the demand side, TOMAK is influencing awareness of and demand for nutritious food at the household level through social behaviour change communication, to maximise consumption of nutritious foods.

To create this change, TOMAK works with and through partners, including NGOs and government. The approach has allowed TOMAK to build on and expand the work of implementing NGOs Mercy Corps, CRS, World Vision and their local partners, as well as providing opportunities to trial new approaches to NSA and SBC in Timor Leste. TOMAK works closely with the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and Ministry of Health, taking a multi-sectoral approach to augment the Government of Timor Leste’s existing nutrition work and develop increased NSA capacity for delivery in municipalities.