Evidence and Gap Maps

Since 2018 IMMANA researchers have produced a wide range of Evidence and Gap Maps (EGMs) designed to synthesise large volumes of information in order to identify key knowledge gaps in Agriculture, Nutrition and Health.

What is an EGM?

EGMs are a visual and interactive way of allowing users to explore literature captured through systematic and scoping reviews. They employ a systematic search strategy that is designed to be comprehensive, but not necessarily exhaustive. An Evidence and Gap Map functions to highlight evidence that exists and that doesn’t exist, usually against a conceptual framework. It's major output is an interactive framework map that can be filtered by various categories, sub-divided and tabulated by users. It provides both macro and micro information on a topic but does not meta-analyse or provide effect estimates.

IMMANA's EGMs cover topics are the frontiers of food systems research, including tools, methods and metrics innovation in agriculture-nutrition research, plastics in the food system and links between food security, nutrition and mental health. Recognising this growing expertise, IMMANA researchers have also collaborated with The International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie) to deliver a living EGM of the effects of food systems interventions on food security and nutrition outcomes.

Explore the IMMANA EGMs:

 

 

 

IMMANA Evidence and Gap Map (EGM)

 

Overview

The IMMANA Evidence and Gap Map (EGM), which summarises research innovation in tools, metrics and methods to understand food systems and agriculture-nutrition linkages in the last ten years (2008-2018). Scroll down to view the map, publications, the data portal and other resources.

Rationale

Agriculture, food systems and nutrition pathways are recognised for their importance in health outcomes (human and planetary), but these relationships are complex, dynamic and hard to measure.  To address this challenge there has been a necessary proliferation of new tools, metrics and methods in the last decade through renewed interest and funding at this multidisciplinary nexus. Projects such as: Sustainable and Healthy Food Systems (SHEFs), INDDEX, Global Dietary Database (GDD), CGIAR Research Program on Agriculture for Nutrition & Health (A4NH), and IMMANA are examples of these efforts. 

However, in order to guide further research, future investments and policy decision-making it is important to understand which tools, methods and metrics exist and to what extent they have been developed and tested. To address this we used an Evidence and Gap Map synthesis methodology.

Publications

Understanding Pathways Between Agriculture, Food Systems, and Nutrition: An Evidence and Gap Map of Research Tools, Metrics, and Methods in the Last 10 Years

PROTOCOL: Evidence and gap map protocol: Understanding pathways between agriculture and nutrition: An evidence and gap map of tools, metrics and methods developed and applied in the last 10 years

Explore the map and data portal

There are two primary resources associated with the Evidence and Gap Map. As this is the beta version of the Gap Map and the first public use of this resource, it is designed to be a living and evolving tool so we welcome any feedback, ideas and comments. 

1. The map 

An interactive framework map that allows users to navigate through the results of this synthesis exercise, to visually highlight and explore evidence that exists and that does not exist. 

2. Data portal

A portal allowing users to explore the data independently from the map by choosing various codes. 

Read the guidance on how to use the web portal

  • Username: IMMANA

  • Password: nutrition 

Webinars and training videos

ANH2019 IMMANA Gap Map
IMMANA Evidence and Gap Map (EGM)

IMMANA Evidence & Gap Map: PPT