Principal Investigator
Inge D. Brouwer
Associate Professor, Division of Human Nutrition and Health, Wageningen University
Collaborating institutions
CIAT, Colombia (www.ciat.cgiar.org)
Bioversity International, Rome (www.bioversityinternational.org)
IFPRI, Washington DC (www.ifpri.org)
National Institute of Nutrition, Vietnam (www.viendinhduong.vn)
Hanoi Medical University, Vietnam (www.en.hmu.edu.vn)
Rikolto, Vietnam (www.vietnam.rikolto.org)
University of Ibadan, Nigeria (www.ui.edu.ng)
Start date: 22 June 2018
Duration: 39 months
Value: $2,931,542
Project summary:
The proposed project addresses the problem of the triple burden of malnutrition among low-income urban populations in Nigeria and Vietnam by increasing their intake of fruits and vegetables through food system innovations that improve access through the diversification of retail outlets, enhance affordability through a client-specific coupon system, and boost acceptability of fruits and vegetables through promotional campaigns involving public and private stakeholders and civil society organizations. The goal of the study is to improve fruit and vegetable intakes of urban, low-income consumers (especially women and youth as being the most vulnerable). To achieve this goal, the study aims to design, implement and test demand-driven innovations that close gaps in year-round fruit and vegetable intakes by improving accessibility, availability and acceptability of fruit and vegetables through diversification of retail outlets and innovative retailing mechanisms, by price incentive schemes, and through promotional campaigns, in close participation with consumers.
The project will be implemented in one central and one peripheral urban area in Ibadan, Nigeria (SSA) and Hanoi, Vietnam (EA), offering insights into different contexts related to the level of urbanization, percentage of urban poor, stunting of under-fives, minimum dietary diversity, and availability of fruits and vegetables per day per person. The project is innovative in both its comparative and its experimental design which takes into account roles, responsibilities and priorities of both women and men. The project intervention consists of 3 interrelated demand-side interventions addressing accessibility, affordability and acceptability of fruits and vegetables. The impact evaluation will be done at two levels: at project level and at separate intervention level. Its design as a science-based action-learning process allows for joint reflection and learning among the key partners.
Update of activities
The kick-off workshop was held in Wageningen, The Netherlands from 26-28 September 2018.
Preparation of the baseline comprising household level assessment, 24 hr recalls of both men and women, seasonality assessment, consumer choice drivers and barriers, and market level assessment are in full progress, including applications for ethical approval of local IRB boards. Data collection will start in December and continue till April 2019, based upon which the interventions will be designed.
Project resources
Kick-off report (no open access)
Contact
Inge D. Brouwer
PO Box 17, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
Email: inge.brouwer@wur,nl
T: +31 317 486750/8077
