Publication: Mainstreaming Nutrition in Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers : What Does It Take? A Review of the Early Experience
Date
2006-12
ISSN
Published
2006-12
Author(s)
Shekar, Meera
Lee, Yi-Kyoung
Abstract
This paper reviews 40 full poverty
reduction strategy papers (PRSPs) with regard to whether
these strategy papers (1) recognize under-nutrition as a
development problem in the country, (2) whether they use
nutrition information for poverty analysis, and (3) whether
the PRSP includes specific nutrition activities (policies,
strategies, and programs) to deal with the unique nutrition
problems in each country. The review shows that three
quarters of the PRSPs recognize that under-nutrition is a
development problem that leads to loss of human capital
and/or productivity. Also, many PRSPs, either explicitly or
implicitly, include country nutrition profiles in their
poverty analysis. Consequently, a majority of PRSPs include
strategies and specific actions to mitigate the effects of
malnutrition. However, there appears to be little
prioritization or sequencing of proposed actions. More
importantly, the strategies and actions included in PRSPs
often do not reflect an appropriate response to the nature
of the nutrition problem in the country. In a quarter of
countries with macronutrient deficiencies and about 40% of
countries with micronutrient deficiencies, the PRSPs fail to
address these two problems. Moreover, tackling nutrition
issues requires greater institutional capacity and budget
allocations than currently seem to exist. Gross mismatches
between the causes of malnutrition and responses to the
nutrition problem inevitably lead to a lack of impact and a
waste of resources, which will further contribute to the
marginalization of nutrition in future PRSPs.
Citation
“Shekar, Meera; Lee, Yi-Kyoung. 2006. Mainstreaming Nutrition in Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers : What Does It Take? A Review of the Early Experience. HNP discussion paper series;. © World Bank, Washington, DC. http://openknowledge.worldbank.org/entities/publication/f54853ee-e056-5606-88ee-ba228ac23b57 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”