Evolution of Nutrition Policy in Senegal

Abstract

Nutrition has been ingrained in key social and economic development policies in Senegal since the birth of the Republic. The evolution of nutrition policy, and its impact on the state of nutrition in Senegal, is the result of a constant interplay between social, environmental, and economic events; politics; the state of nutrition knowledge; and the engagement and influence of external stakeholders. Nutrition policy also encompasses what actually gets implemented; therefore, it is also influenced by available capacity and resources at all levels. With a 46 percent reduction in under-five stunting, from 34.4 percent in 1992 to just over 19.4 percent in 2014, Senegal has witnessed one of the biggest rates of improvement in the world and currently has one of the lowest rates of stunting in West Africa. This success has put Senegal in the spotlight, and other countries, especially those in Francophone Sub-Saharan Africa, look to Senegal as a model for nutrition intervention. Indeed, in the global fight against malnutrition, more often than not Senegal has been ahead of the curve, in a position of informing global advocacy initiatives, not just a beneficiary of the global evidence base. The purpose of this report is to provide an historical overview of nutrition policies in Senegal including analysis of the nutrition policy landscape, the evolution of nutrition policies and institutions, and their implications in terms of programming and prioritization of interventions. In so doing, the report aims to provide context to future nutrition investment and the PSMN currently under development, and to inform the decision-making process at this critical juncture. Here, ‘policy’ refers to all guidance for the management of nutrition, be it effective (everyone does it) or ineffective (it never leaves the paper it is written on), formal (written and adopted) or informal (unwritten institutional behaviors and practices). The timeline of nutrition policies and related initiatives is provided in appendix A.