Excerpt from preventionweb.net
Action Against Hunger (Action Contre la Faim/ACF) has published its new methodology for integrating nutrition-based activities into anticipatory action frameworks and systems.
Addressing a critical gap in anticipatory action
Nutrition is largely absent from anticipatory action frameworks and systems, despite the fact that obvious and rapid nutritional impacts regularly follow climate shocks. Droughts, floods and cyclones can accelerate a deterioration in people’s nutritional status, particularly in areas that are already vulnerable. Many health systems and acute-malnutrition-management programmes only intervene in response to a crisis and are often insufficiently prepared to meet increased post-shock needs.
A multi-level, community-based approach to nutrition
The pilot projects aimed to address this critical gap. To document the impacts on communities’ nutrition status, and the needs and capacities on which the approach could be based, ACF applied an action research methodology at three levels: community, sub-national and national. Nearly 400 community members and local and national experts were interviewed across the two countries, using a survey specially created for this initiative.
Through these interviews, ACF teams were able to draft initial recommendations and actions specific to integrating nutrition into anticipatory action frameworks and systems. These were then discussed, reinforced and validated by a panel of stakeholders, authorities and community representatives during capacity-building and exchange sessions.