Starting date: January 2023 Duration: 21 month(s) Type: Research
This study analyses the design gaps of multisectoral nutrition interventions across six Sahelian countries in West Africa. It aims to identify opportunities to strengthen interventions addressing persistently high undernutrition rates among women and children under two years old. The study presents 16 actionable recommendations organised into four key themes: situational analysis and targeting, theory of change and formative research, monitoring and evaluation, stakeholder implementation & sustainability. These recommendations are intended to guide the effectiveness of future nutrition interventions.
The Nutrition Research Facility (NRF) conducted a series of consultations with decision-makers in EU Member States, EU partner countries, within Delegations of the EU in partner countries and within the European Commission, in order to identify their current concerns in relation to nutrition issues in development contexts. This question arose from a consultation workshop focusing on African countries. (NRF, 2022).
The study employed a narrative review of 64 documents covering 41 studies, including peer-reviewed articles and grey literature, focusing on EU-funded interventions from 2014 to 2019, in 6 countries of the Sahel (Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, and Senegal). 29 key informant interviews with funders, designers, and implementers were conducted in Chad and Senegal to provide additional insights. Data were thematically analysed and mapped against conceptual frameworks on malnutrition drivers and intervention designs. The results were triangulated to identify key strengths and weaknesses in intervention design.
The analysis identified four critical design themes that deserve improvement: (1) situational analysis and targeting, (2) theory of change and formative research, (3) monitoring and evaluation, and (4) stakeholder analysis, implementation, and sustainability. The study provides 16 recommendations across those four themes to enhance the design, targeting, and effectiveness of future multisectoral interventions.
Closing the identified design gaps and enhancing evaluation efforts are crucial for creating more effective nutrition interventions in the West African Sahel. The study outlines 16 targeted recommendations aimed at improving multisectoral approaches, centred on four key design themes.
Future research should prioritise rigorous impact evaluations, particularly in underrepresented regions like Mauritania, Chad, and Niger, and examine systemic factors such as climate change and governance. Additionally, more attention is needed on income and women’s empowerment pathways to optimise intervention outcomes.
By addressing design and evaluation gaps, these insights provide a roadmap for improving nutrition and health outcomes, particularly for women and for children under two years old in fragile settings.
Main contact: Paula Dominguez-Salas
Organisation: Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich
Email address: P.DominguezSalas@greenwich.ac.uk