5.6.11. Opportunities for Further Research and Tools on Integrating Food Security and the Value Chain Approach
General
- Case studies and good practices in addressing seasonal food insecurity through value chain programming.
Value Chain Selection
- Guidance on criteria for value chain selection that is appropriate for addressing challenges in food availability, access and utilization.
- Accessible information on the nutritional properties of different food crops. It is not clear to many practitioners which crops can best address micronutrient deficiencies. This frustrates efforts to incorporate nutritional considerations in the value chain selection process.
Value Chain Analysis
- A handbook or toolkit dedicated to performing a food security-sensitive and nutrition-sensitive value chain analysis. Practitioners currently do not have access to a guide that highlights where and how food security and nutrition can be considered throughout the value chain analysis process.
- Guidance on integrating food systems mapping with value chain analysis.
Design and Implementation
- More profiles, case studies, evaluations and lessons learned of projects that have integrated food security objectives into the value chain approach, particularly through non-agricultural value chains.
- Screening tools that establish the capacity of very food insecure individuals to engage in value chain programming.
- Further research on how to incorporate nutrition and food utilization messaging into value chain programming.
- Greater experience in how to encourage backyard gardening in ways that not only enhance household dietary diversity, but can also incorporate significant numbers of individuals and create systemic and sustainable change.
Monitoring and Evaluation
- A resource for selecting the best food security indicators for value chain projects. While some existing work has done a good job of reviewing many of the existing food security indicators, not all have been reviewed nor considered explicitly from the perspective of a value chain practitioner or project.