title: Agriculture for improved nutrition: the current research landscape.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Concern about food security and its effect on persistent undernutrition has increased interest in how agriculture could be used to improve nutritional outcomes in developing countries. Yet the evidence base for the impact of agricultural interventions targeted at improved nutrition is currently poor.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To map the extent and nature of current and planned research on agriculture for improved nutrition in order to identify gaps where more research might be useful.
  
  
  METHODS
  The research, which was conducted from April to August 2012, involved developing a conceptual framework linking agriculture and nutrition, identifying relevant research projects and programs, devising and populating a "template" with details of the research projects in relation to the conceptual framework, classifying the projects, and conducting a gap analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study identified a large number of research projects covering a broad range of themes and topics. There was a strong geographic focus on sub-Saharan Africa, and many studies were explicitly concerned with nutritional impacts on women and children. Although the study revealed a diverse and growing body of research, it also identified research gaps. Few projects consider the entire evidence chain linking agricultural input or practice to nutritional outcomes. There is comparatively little current research on indirect effects of agriculture on nutrition, or the effect of policies or governance, rather than technical interventions. Most research is focused on undernutrition and small farmer households, and few studies target consumers generally, urban populations, or nutrition-related non-communicable diseases. There is very little work on the cost-effectiveness of agricultural interventions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  On the basis of these findings, we make suggestions for research investment and for broader engagement of researchers and disciplines in developing approaches to design and evaluate agricultural programs for improved nutrition.
authors.affiliation: Leverhulme Centre for Integrative Research on Agriculture and Health, London.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.affiliation: Leverhulme Centre for Integrative Research on Agriculture and Health, London.
authors.forename: Corinna
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hawkes
authors.affiliation: Leverhulme Centre for Integrative Research on Agriculture and Health, London.
authors.forename: Waage
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jeff
authors.affiliation: Leverhulme Centre for Integrative Research on Agriculture and Health, London.
authors.forename: Elaine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ferguson
authors.affiliation: Centre for Sustainable International Development at the University of Aberdeen, UK.
authors.forename: Farhana
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Haseen
authors.affiliation: Centre for Sustainable International Development at the University of Aberdeen, UK.
authors.forename: Hilary
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Homans
authors.affiliation: Centre for Sustainable International Development at the University of Aberdeen, UK.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hussein
authors.affiliation: Leverhulme Centre for Integrative Research on Agriculture and Health, London.
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Johnston
authors.affiliation: Centre for Sustainable International Development at the University of Aberdeen, UK.
authors.forename: Debbi
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Marais
authors.affiliation: Centre for Sustainable International Development at the University of Aberdeen, UK.
authors.forename: Geraldine
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: McNeill
authors.affiliation: Leverhulme Centre for Integrative Research on Agriculture and Health, London.
authors.forename: Bhavani
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Shankar
mesh_terms: D017954:Africa South of the Sahara; D000383:Agriculture / Q000379:methods*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D005523:Food Supply; D006801:Humans; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D009753:Nutritive Value; D012106:Research / Q000639:trends*; D012107:Research Design; D012424:Rural Population