The Challenge
Although significant progress has been made in the past decades to reduce the high burden of malnutrition, globally there continue to be 150.8 million children under five stunted, 50.5 million suffer from acute malnutrition and 38.3 million children overweight (Global Nutrition Report 2018). Every country in the world is affected by malnutrition, which is estimated to cost the global economy an estimated $3.5 trillion in health care costs and lost productivity each year. Yet the progress to date has been slow to scale nutrition interventions even though they offer some of the highest returns on investment – with every $1 invested resulting in up to $35 in economic gain.
Investing in nutrition offers some of the highest returns on investment in the development field; however, commitments and momentum to address are still lagging behind what is needed. The global community must act now to improve target and commitments, translate commitments into actions and and employ innovative approaches to address stubborn challenges.
The Opportunity
USAID Advancing Nutrition – Committed to supporting country-led efforts to enhance nutrition, USAID Advancing Nutrition strives to sustain positive outcomes through building local capacity, supporting behavior change and strengthening enabling environments. By scaling up efforts to reduce malnutrition, with a focus on the critical period between pregnancy and a child’s second birthday, USAID Advancing Nutrition supports the Agency’s efforts to save lives and promote strong, productive citizens and self-reliant societies. It is the Agency’s flagship multi-sectoral nutrition project, led by JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc. (JSI), and a diverse group of experienced partners which will draw together global nutrition experience to design, implement and evaluate programs that address malnutrition.
Our Work
R4D will focus on the USAID Advancing Nutrition learning agenda. In addition to providing technical support and staffing, R4D will contribute to the program’s efforts on measurement, implementation, research and learning. R4D will also support collaborative learning, governance and sustainable financing components of the program.
Other core implementing partners for USAID Advancing Nutrition include Helen Keller International, National Cooperative Business Association, CLUSA International, Save the Children U.S., the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, The Manoff Group, The African Nutrition Leadership Programme at North-West University, South Africa, Cornell University and the University of California-Davis.
