RESEARCH NOTES

× Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), a flagship program of the Government of India, offers nutrition services to support child development. One major component of ICDS is the Supplementary Nutrition Program (SNP), which provides take-home rations for all children under 6 years of age and pregnant and lactating women to bridge the calorie and protein gaps in their diets. Current SNP guidelines recommend providing the rations in the form of micronutrient-fortified food or energy-dense food to bridge the nutrient gap between the Recommend Dietary Allowance and Average Daily Intake (MoWCD 2014). In Tamil Nadu, the take-home rations are a fortified-blended product called Sathumaavu. Coverage of take-home rations in Tamil Nadu is above the national average for all beneficiary groups, but variability across districts is high (IIPS and ICF 2021). Little is known about household use of Sathumaavu, perceptions of its quality, or its integration into standard diets. This study, a collaboration between LEAD at Krea University and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) with the Government of Tamil Nadu, explored the uptake and use of Sathumaavu among women and children across the state. The study aimed to: • Assess the uptake and use of the ICDS-provided Sathumaavu in Tamil Nadu• Examine demand- and supply-side factors related to the coverage and use of Sathumaavu

× We aimed to examine the current policy guidance for ICDS SNP and operationalization of these at the state-level. To do so, we compared India’s SNP guidance for THR with global guidelines for infant and young child feeding (IYCF). Additionally, the current state of the take-home ration supplied for infants and young children across India was reviewed and summarized. Findings on state- and district-specific coverage of services is described elsewhere.

× Data are essential both to understand the level of malnutrition in a country and to develop strategies to address it. Reliable and recent data are important, as are data that can be compared over time to assess whether strategies are yielding results. Finally, having data available at relevant geographic or administrative units for policy decisions is also critical.

× One of the objectives of POSHAN is to facilitate the availability of, access to, and use of knowledge to inform program and policy decisions among stakeholders working in nutrition in India. To understand how POSHAN can best support and strengthen knowledge mobilization in nutrition, a team from POSHAN reviewed the reach, use, and role of existing knowledge systems and knowledge networks (Exhibit 1) in India.

× The persistence of undernutrition in the face of India’s impressive economic growth continues to be of enormous concern. Though there are recognized essential inputs for child and maternal nutrition, less than 55 percent of mothers and children receive any of these inputs in India (Menon and Aguayo 2011). To better clarify the extent to which current nutrition programs in India incorporate essential inputs for nutrition, a team from POSHAN reviewed nutrition programs in India for the inclusion of such inputs and examined how these inputs are implemented and delivered.

× To better understand the landscape of and links among actors involved in influencing program and policy decisions in nutrition in India, a team from POSHAN conducted a stakeholder network mapping exercise. The team used Net-Map1; which is a participatory interview tool that combines social network analysis, stakeholder mapping, and power mapping. The tool is intended to help visualize and understand situations in which many different actors influence particular outcomes. Net-Map allows stakeholders to examine not only the formal interactions in a network, but also the informal interactions that cannot be understood by merely studying documents concerning the formal policymaking procedures.

× In India, 46 percent of infants and children under 3 years old are underweight and more than two-thirds are anemic (MHFW 2006). This is despite substantial economic growth and multiple policies developed over several decades to support diverse actions to tackle undernutrition. The Indian response to tackling undernutrition must focus on the most effective strategies and interventions to ensure rapid improvement. Toward this end, the effective and efficient mobilization of evidence is critical. This paper presents key findings from a policy review led by a team from the Public Health Foundation of India that documented the use of evidence in nutrition policymaking and planning in India and the facilitators of and barriers to its use.

× Odisha has a diverse network of nutrition stakeholders, including government departments, donors, and nongovernment organizations. These stakeholders play a critical role in shaping the nutrition policy agenda, implementing nutrition actions on the ground, and funding nutrition interventions. To better understand the interactions among these stakeholders, their relative influence on program and policy decisions, and their perspectives on how to ensure robust and productive interactions among each other, a team from POSHAN conducted an exercise to map this network.