title: Landscape Analysis of Nutrition-sensitive Agriculture Policy Development in Senegal.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Unlocking the agricultural potential of Africa offers a genuine opportunity to address malnutrition and drive development of the continent.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Using Senegal as a case study, to identify gaps and opportunities to strengthen agricultural policies with nutrition-sensitive approaches.
  
  
  METHODS
  We carried out a systematic analysis of 13 policy documents that related to food production, agriculture, food security, or nutrition. Next, we collected data during a participatory analysis with 32 national stakeholders and in-depth interviews with 15 national experts of technical directorates of the different ministries that deal with agriculture and food production.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The current agricultural context has various elements that are considered to enhance its nutrition sensitivity. On average, 8.3 of the 17 Food and Agriculture Organization guiding principles for agriculture programming for nutrition were included in the policies reviewed. Ensuring food security and increasing dietary diversity were considered to be the principal objectives of agricultural policies. Although there was considerable agreement that agriculture can contribute to nutrition, current agricultural programs generally do not target communities on the basis of their nutritional vulnerability. Agricultural programs were reported to have specific components to target female beneficiaries but were generally not used as delivery platforms for nutritional interventions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings of this study indicate the need for a coherent policy environment across the food system that aligns recommendations at the national level with local action on the ground. In addition, specific activities are needed to develop a shared understanding of nutrition and public health nutrition within the agricultural community in Senegal.
authors.affiliation: Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium Institute for Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium carl.lachat@ugent.be.
authors.forename: Carl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lachat
authors.affiliation: University of Abomey-Calavi, Benin.
authors.forename: Eunice
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nago
authors.affiliation: Cellule de Lutte contre la Malnutrition, Dakar, Senegal.
authors.forename: Abdoulaye
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ka
authors.affiliation: Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Harm
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vermeylen
authors.affiliation: Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fanzo
authors.affiliation: UN System Standing Committee on Nutrition, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Lina
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mahy
authors.affiliation: UN System Standing Committee on Nutrition, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Marzella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wüstefeld
authors.affiliation: Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium Institute for Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kolsteren
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa; D000383:Agriculture / Q000379:methods*; D018556:Crops, Agricultural / Q000254:growth & development; D004032:Diet; D005502:Food; D005511:Food Handling; D005523:Food Supply; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000517:prevention & control; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D052756:Nutritional Sciences / Q000193:education; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011050:Policy Making; D012675:Senegal
keywords: Senegal; agriculture; food policy; nutrition