USAID unveils plans to harmonize nutrition efforts

"The U.S. Agency for International Development [USAID] has unveiled plans to harmonize its funding and efforts surrounding nutrition," Devex reports. "The agency is working on a comprehensive strategy that will make the issue a priority in 'high-impact interventions' with nutrition as a component, such as in agriculture, health and humanitarian aid, Robert Clay, deputy assistant administrator at USAID's Bureau for Global Health, announced Nov. 5 at an event hosted by the Modernizing Foreign Assistance Network in Washington, D.C.," the news service writes, noting, "But the multisector strategy is only 'internal' or agency wide, some agency officials told Devex on the sidelines of the event."

"This is part of a series of actions USAID has taken since U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton co-launched the 1,000 Days partnership at the U.N. summit on the Millennium Development Goals in 2010 to support the country-led Scaling Up Nutrition movement," according to Devex. "In fiscal 2012, the Global Health Initiative included designated funds of $95 million for nutrition," but "adding up the money for programs across various sectors that tackle it, including Feed the Future, the pot grew to $1.5 billion, Clay said," the news service writes. "USAID, agency officials told Devex, is working with InterAction and the 1,000 Days movement to craft the strategy," Devex notes, adding, "The process remains in the 'very early' stages but the officials hope to come up with a draft in the coming months" (Villarino, 11/6).