Tackling malnutrition with nutrition-sensitive interventions in agriculture, climate resilience and WASH

On December 27, 2023, iDE Cambodia organized the Agriculture and Food System Year-End Learning and Reflection Workshop, which aimed to review and reflect on iDE’s nutrition interventions, identify common lessons and challenges, collect feedback, and set priorities for its activities in 2024 and beyond. The event brought together a diverse group of nearly 100 participants, including representatives from the Siem Reap Provincial Health Department, local leaders at various levels, farmers, and partners in the sector.

Cambodia has made great progress in reducing child stunting, but child wasting remains a pressing challenge, while overweight, obesity, and diet-related diseases are on the rise.

We know that nutrition is a complex and vital component of supporting thriving communities. When unaddressed, malnutrition can have deep and lasting implications.

Stunting, resulting from undernutrition particularly during the 1,000 days from conception to the child’s second birthday, impedes physical growth and cognitive development. The damage caused during the first 1,000 days is irreversible, severely reducing a child’s potential to realize a healthy and productive life and, in many cases, prolonging the cycle of intergenerational poverty. Stunting reduces school achievement, reduces work productivity and undermines earning potential later in life.?

Wasting, a consequence of insufficient food intake or a high incidence of infectious diseases, especially diarrhea, impairs the functioning of the immune system and can lead to severity and duration of, and susceptibility to, infectious diseases, and an increased risk of death.???

With this in mind, in 2023 iDE has started working to integrate nutrition into agriculture, climate, and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) projects in Cambodia.

Looking back at 2023, iDE has piloted new interventions that have good potential for the future.

• At the household level, we have worked with farmers to set up regenerative home gardens. Regenerative home gardening is a way to embrace biodiversity, soil health, water conservation, and sustainable local food production.?

• At the village level, our partnership with the Commune Council and commune committee for Women and Children (CCWC) and the Village Health Support Group (VHSG) has promoted nutrition, health, and childhood development through cooking demonstrations that encourage rural households to explore creative and healthy cooking options using ingredients sourced from their home gardens.
• At the school level, we helped young preschool students gain regular access to healthy diets by strengthening the supply chain for clean food, clean water, and clean energy.
• And finally, at the market level, we supported village grocery stores, school snack sellers, and mobile venders by training them on nutrition, hygiene, and effective business practices.

These activities in 2023 were a good start. Thanks to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for its financial support.?

However,? there is so much more work to do in 2024 and beyond. iDE is delighted to announce that with ongoing support from the Church we will extend our nutrition work into 2024. We will work in new provinces and integrate nutrition-sensitive interventions across our agriculture, climate, and WASH projects with an additional focus on supporting micro, small, and medium-sized businesses.

We plan to work in close collaboration with the public sector, the private sector, and other relevant partners to fight malnutrition in Cambodia.