Impact of an enhanced homestead food production program on household food production and dietary intake of women aged 15-49 years and children aged 6-59 months: a pragmatic delayed cluster randomized control trial protocol

Abstract

<p class="abstract"><strong>Background:</strong> Undernutrition remains a public health problem in Cambodia. To address this, Helen Keller International has implemented an enhanced homestead food production (EHFP) program that provides agricultural inputs and, nutrition, hygiene, and gender empowerment training. This research evaluates the impact of EHFP on dietary intake of women and children and, household food production.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Methods:</strong> This two-year pragmatic delayed cluster randomized controlled trial will be conducted in 600 households in Kampot, Cambodia. Half the households will be randomly assigned to the intervention group and administered the EHFP program immediately. The remaining households (control) will be delayed for one year after which they will receive EHFP. In year one in the control group and year two in the intervention group, household data on food production and income generation will be collected using monthly surveys and, dietary data will be collected using 24-hour recalls from women 15-49 years and children 6-59 months twice during the year. Primary outcomes are differences between the treatment groups in mean intake of zinc and vitamin A among women and children. Secondary outcomes are differences between the treatment groups for other key nutrients and the incremental net monetary benefit of EHFP. Additional outcomes including household food security, women’s empowerment, and hygiene practices from larger project data will also be assessed.</p><p><strong>Conclusions:</strong> The results of this trial will assess the impact of EHFP on household food production and the dietary intake of women and children.</p>

Strength and weakness of the National Nutrition Improvement Program in Rural and Nomadic Women: findings from a policy triangle framework

“…Nutrition-sensitive agriculture (NSA) is a comprehensive, intersectoral food-based system approach to improve food security and nutrition (Di Prima et al, 2022). In fact, the NSA considered by governments, Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) and development agencies as a way to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (Bhutta et al, 2013;Moumin et al, 2017). NSA programs integrate complementary components such as agriculture, health, social support, education, water, and health, which influence key nutrition determinants, including poverty, food insecurity, lack of access to adequate health care and water resources (Maxwell et al, 2010).…”