Integrating Agriculture and Health Research for Development: LCIRAH as an Interdisciplinary Programme to Address a Global Challenge

Abstract

The multiple burdens of persistent undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies, along with the rapidly growing rates of overweight, obesity, and associated chronic diseases, are major challenges globally. The role of agriculture and the food system in meeting these challenges is very poorly understood. Achieving food security and addressing malnutrition in all its forms, a Sustainable Development Goal, requires an understanding of how changing food systems affect health outcomes and the development of new tools to design and evaluate interventions. An interinstitutional programme to address this interdisciplinary research challenge is described. Over the past seven years, the Leverhulme Centre for Integrative Research on Agriculture and Health has built a portfolio of successful and innovative research, trained a new cadre of interdisciplinary researchers in “Agri‐Health,” and built an international research community with a particular focus on strengthening research capacity in low‐ and middle‐income countries. The evolution of this programme is described, and key factors contributing to its success are discussed that may be of general value in designing interdisciplinary research programmes directed at supporting global development goals.

A critical realist synthesis of cross-disciplinary health policy and systems research: defining characteristic features, developing an evaluation framework and identifying challenges

“… Achievement of cross-disciplinary purpose [ 52 , 55 , 69 , 76 , 98 ] Has the cross-disciplinary purpose of the research been fulfilled? Cross-disciplinary balance was maintained as planned [ 27 , 58 , 77 , 80 , 91 , 95 ] Has the intended disciplinary and institutional balance been adequately adhered to? Consistency/coherence of common vocabulary [ 19 – 22 , 24 , 52 , 54 , 57 , 67 , 71 , 72 ] Do the research results convincingly represent an interplay of the different disciplinary voices?…”

“…Appraisal criteria Specific indicators and references Illustrative evaluation questions Cross-disciplinary balance was maintained as planned [27,58,77,80,91,95] Has the intended disciplinary and institutional balance been adequately adhered to?…”

Enabling transdisciplinary research collaboration for planetary health: Insights from practice at the environment‐health‐development nexus

“…To help address structural constraints of working in LMIC contexts, funding can support project management that accommodates complexities and unanticipated outcomes with built‐in contingencies and possible extensions (Roux et al, 2019). In addition, funders can provide flexibilities in allocating resources towards competing priorities (Ely et al, 2020; van Breda & Swilling, 2018; Waage et al, 2019). Innovative processes can mean greater uncertainties, especially at the co‐design and initial implementation stages (Pineo et al, 2020).…”

“…Funding programs could also focus on building individual capacity for boundary‐spanning (Brown et al, 2015; Clark, van Kerkhoff, et al, 2016), complementing the disciplinary depth and excellence. Training and mentorship of researchers in transdisciplinary competencies helped build capacity for tolerance of uncertainty and complexity in LMIC contexts (Nix et al, 2019; OECD, 2020; Pineo et al, 2020; Pohl et al, 2010; Roux et al, 2019; Waage et al, 2019). Roux et al (2019) presented a broad approach to capacity building, emphasising the collaborative experience as a learning opportunity for the entire team while building institutional structures to facilitate large‐scale multi‐country research.…”

“…Training and mentorship of researchers in transdisciplinary competencies helped build capacity for tolerance of uncertainty and complexity in LMIC contexts (Nix et al, 2019;OECD, 2020;Pineo et al, 2020;Pohl et al, 2010;Roux et al, 2019;Waage et al, 2019) power relations between and within communities of knowledge, and self-reflexivity could help value and bring to attention traditionally marginalised knowledge sources, such as farmers who are indeed practitioners, producers, and users of soil science (Pohl et al, 2010).…”