REPORTING 2024 EVIDENCE OUTCOME STORY/IMPACT STATEMENT In January 2024, the Kitui County government of Kenya, supported by IFNA, AUDA-NEPAD, and JICA, adopted the Semi-Quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire (SFFQ)—a key feature of the Alliance's ADD-IT app. The pilot project aims to improve the nutritional status of children under two years old and their mothers. The dietary assessment was conducted across 322 households in two communities. County officials and 20 community health promoters (CHPs) identified dietary gaps to raise awareness of individualized challenges and guide evidence-based improved dietary practices. OUTCOME IMPACT CASE REPORT Study #AFR - 2422 Stage of Maturity of change reported: stage 1 PART 1: Description and all information of the outcome/impact reported YEAR 2024 GEOGRAPHIC SCOPE: ​ ​ SUB - NATIONAL TITLE Kitui County leverages ADD-IT app for JICA-backed nutrition initiative and conducts dietary assessment across 322 households Comments: CGIAR INNOVATION(S) OR FINDINGS THAT HAVE RESULTED IN THIS OUTCOME OR IMPACT The baseline dietary data generated through the ADD-IT app serve as an essential foundation for evidence-based intervention planning by multi- sectoral nutrition stakeholders, particularly in planning nutrition and agricultural interventions and optimizing project resource allocation. By assessing dietary practices of populations in the target communities before project implementation, using metrics such as food intake patterns and dietary diversity scores, and comparing them with those in non-intervention (control) regions, the project helps minimize excessive investments and identify effective intervention strategies. The strategies include promoting nutrition education, disseminating best practices such as household accounting, kitchen garden, and promoting use of underutilized food plants [1,2,3,7]. Kitui County, Kenya Ikanga and Ikutha wards, Kitui South Sub- County Contributing external partners: Kitui County Government Initiative for Food and Nutrition in Africa (IFNA) African Union Development Agency New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AUDA- NEPAD) Japan International Cooperating Agency (JICA) The baseline study conducted using ADD-IT app among 322 households with children under two years of age across 2 communities revealed the concurrent presence of undernutrition and overnutrition. The findings indicated that stunting was observed in 13% of children, 14% were underweight, 10% were wasted, and 6% were overweight. Regarding child feeding practices, there was considerable variability in meal frequency; approximately half of the children consumed 4–5 meals per day, whereas a notable proportion had two or fewer meals daily. Analysis of the food groups consumed on the previous day showed high consumption of grains and tubers (96%), breast milk (77%), dark green leafy vegetables (46%), and milk (47%), while eggs (4%) and meat, fish, and poultry (7%) were consumed at significantly lower frequencies. The SFFQ survey administered among mothers revealed that the primary components of their diet were grains and legumes, with energy and protein intakes nearing adequate levels, albeit predominantly sourced from plant-based foods. Although fat and carbohydrate intakes were similar, sodium consumption far exceeded recommended levels, and calcium intake appeared insufficient, particularly for growing children and pregnant women. Additionally, one district exhibited consistent intakes of leafy vegetables and dairy products but notably low consumption of meat and fish [3,4,5,6]. The absence of significant differences in nutritional intakes suggests that nutritional profiles can serve as a robust baseline for pre- and post-intervention comparisons. The key study findings were used to identify nutritional gaps and determine the most effective intervention strategies to address them. Furthermore, by assessing dietary habits using the same ADD-IT app after project implementation and comparing changes in regions where no intervention was performed, the project can further refine and validate the intervention strategies, thereby informing scaling up considerations [3,4,5,6]. ELABORATION OF OUTCOME/IMPACT STATEMENT Gender relevance: 1 - Significant. By focusing on improving the nutrition of mothers and their children, the project directly addresses gender- specific health needs and empowers women through targeted education and practical skills. [1] Youth relevance: 1 - Significant. Most (99%) respondents were mothers of index children, aged between 22-31 years. The emphasis on nutrition education and capacity building among young mothers and caregivers ensures long-term benefits for the next generation, fostering healthier communities. [4,5] Capacity Development relevance: 1 - Significant. 71% of the total project budget was allocated to enhancing community nutrition knowledge and skills and promoting year-round production of diverse and nutrient-dense foods. Strengthening the knowledge and skills of Community Health Promoters and local households equips them to sustain and expand the project's benefits. [4,5] Climate Change relevance: 1 - Significant. The project targets farmers in semi-arid areas (South Kitui), encouraging them to adopt climate- adapted and nutrient-sensitive agricultural techniques, and to implement small-scale irrigation where permanent water sources are available. Plus, promoting the cultivation of locally adapted traditional crops and underutilized species contributes to climate resilience and sustainable agricultural practices. [1] Other cross-cutting dimensions: Prior to this IFNA Pilot Project, the adopted research tools and approaches including ADD-IT app was tested in two locations, Vihiga and Kitui counties in Kenya, validate its functionality with population groups with different cultural settings [9,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18]. GENDER, YOUTH, CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE Intervention activities include the following: Nutrition Improvements: Targeted nutrition education provided during prenatal care and clinical sessions emphasizes enhancing dietary diversity and complementary feeding practices. Dietary improvements focus on promoting the consumption of animal-source proteins, fruits, and vegetables, while recommending the use of locally available, underutilized vegetables and fruits for low-income households. Additionally, strengthened training for CHPs, practical cooking demonstrations, and provision of high-nutrient food vouchers targeting households in urgent need of nutritional support, equip mothers with the necessary skills and knowledge for preparing nutrient-rich meals. Agricultural Interventions: The introduction of kitchen gardens is emphasized as an effective strategy to cultivate and utilize locally adapted traditional crops and edible plants, thereby enhancing household dietary diversity by leveraging existing local knowledge and experience. Moreover, the need to add value to produce through methods such as sun-drying—to improve both marketability and shelf life—was also highlighted. CHP Support: To ensure CHPs acquire comprehensive knowledge on complementary feeding practices, training and follow-up programs will be provided to 20 CHPs in the target regions, thereby promoting sustained community-level education. SDG TARGETS PART 2: Mapping to Alliance strategy and structure 2.2 - By 2030, end all forms of malnutrition, including achieving, by 2025, the internationally agreed targets on stunting and wasting in children under 5 years of age, and address the nutritional needs of adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating women. KEY CONTRIBUTOR AND STRATEGIC OUTCOMES Lever 5: Digital Inclusion Gender, Youth and Inclusion PART 3: One CGIAR Alignment LINK TO IMPACT AREAS AND GLOBAL TARGETS SO1: Priority countries adopt policies and build capacity to improve dietary diversity and diet quality of consumers. PART 4: Evidence, References and COM material SECONDARY CONTRIBUTORS EVIDENCE AND REFERENCES IFNA Pilot project in Kitui 2024-2025 (available here)1. P1666-2024 Ethic Approval Letter (available here)2. Mid-term Progress Report-IFNA pilot project.pdf (available here)3. IFNA Pilot Project Baseline survey report. (available here)4. IFNA Pilot Project Baseline survey report appendix. (available here)5. IFNA Pilot Project Baseline survey presentation (available here)6. IFNA 3 Pilot projects (available here)7. IFNA 11th Steering Committee Meeting (available here) 8. Agrobiodiversity Diet Diagnosis Interventions Toolkit (ADD-IT) (available here)9. A new initiative for better decision-making in nutrition interventions (available here)10. The Agrobiodiversity Diet Diagnosis Interventions Toolkit (ADD-IT) (available here)11. Validation of an App-based Food Frequency Questionnaire: Comparison With 24-hour Diet Recalls Among Women in two Rural Areas of Kenya. (available here) 12. Lever 1: Food Environment & Consumer Behavior Impact Area 1: Nutrition, Health, and Food Security End hunger for all and enable affordable healthy diets for the 3 billion people who do not currently have access to safe and nutritious food. Impact Area 3: Gender Equality, Youth, and Social Inclusion ​​Close the gender gap in rights to economic resources, access to ownership, and control over land and natural resources for over 500 million women who work in food, land, and water systems. Impact Area 4: Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Equip 500 million small-scale producers to be more resilient to climate shocks, with climate adaptation solutions available through national innovation systems. Impact Area 5: Environmental Health and Biodiversity Maintain the genetic diversity of seeds, cultivated plants, farmed and domesticated animals and their related wild species, including through soundly managed genebanks at the national, regional, and international levels. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zYFpggtTPlfShGw2ZPIXK9R5hBmeIFVB/view?usp=drive_link https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zYFpggtTPlfShGw2ZPIXK9R5hBmeIFVB/view?usp=drive_link https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ha9Lmk2HaRrj7IO7uH2gajkm088q0D_9/view?usp=drive_link https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ha9Lmk2HaRrj7IO7uH2gajkm088q0D_9/view?usp=drive_link https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mIHTtCZJOSUVgSKlp5c9BR6Z9RS9xxZ5/view?usp=drive_link https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mIHTtCZJOSUVgSKlp5c9BR6Z9RS9xxZ5/view?usp=drive_link https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Z9_FeQ1Qpgg0OEjr69S2uODb45kY5VZx/view?usp=drive_link https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Z9_FeQ1Qpgg0OEjr69S2uODb45kY5VZx/view?usp=drive_link https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jJLf7vJaap28Fz6UzJfazwQgkjH40Pkq/view?usp=drive_link https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jJLf7vJaap28Fz6UzJfazwQgkjH40Pkq/view?usp=drive_link https://drive.google.com/file/d/1h1vto_1ngLp8n0VGPXZFsyq7Rb6GZ1yB/view?usp=drive_link https://drive.google.com/file/d/1h1vto_1ngLp8n0VGPXZFsyq7Rb6GZ1yB/view?usp=drive_link https://www.jica.go.jp/Resource/activities/issues/nutrition/ku57pq00001pa078-att/IFNA_brochure.pdf https://www.jica.go.jp/Resource/activities/issues/nutrition/ku57pq00001pa078-att/IFNA_brochure.pdf https://www.jica.go.jp/Resource/activities/issues/nutrition/ku57pq00001pa078-att/IFNA_brochure.pdf https://ifna.africa/2024/04/16/ifna-11th-steering-committee-meeting/ https://ifna.africa/2024/04/16/ifna-11th-steering-committee-meeting/ https://alliancebioversityciat.org/tools-innovations/agrobiodiversity-diet-diagnosis-interventions-toolkit-add-it https://alliancebioversityciat.org/tools-innovations/agrobiodiversity-diet-diagnosis-interventions-toolkit-add-it https://alliancebioversityciat.org/publications-data/new-initiative-better-decision-making-nutrition-interventions https://alliancebioversityciat.org/publications-data/new-initiative-better-decision-making-nutrition-interventions https://cgspace.cgiar.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/4f4e4b9c-b98b-4d4a-9f1c-b45f6098b4a4/content https://cgspace.cgiar.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/4f4e4b9c-b98b-4d4a-9f1c-b45f6098b4a4/content https://doi.org/10.18697/ajfand.136.24855 https://doi.org/10.18697/ajfand.136.24855 https://doi.org/10.18697/ajfand.136.24855 https://doi.org/10.18697/ajfand.136.24855 © 2025. This work is openly licensed via CC BY NC Yasuyuki Morimoto, Scientist, y.morimoto@cgiar.org Patrick Maundu, Senior Scientist Kenji Irie, Professor Ban Kenjiro, Chief Officer Tomo Takemura, Donors of ADD-IT development works Kosuke Minakuchi, Donors of ADD-IT development works CONTACT PERSON/ AUTHORS http://alliancebioversityciat.org www.cgiar.org The Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) delivers research-based solutions that harness agricultural biodiversity and sustainably transform food systems to improve people’s lives. Alliance solutions address the global crises of malnutrition, climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation. The Alliance is part of CGIAR, a global research partnership for a food-secure future. PROMOTIONAL PRODUCTS Baseline and endline values and findings (available here) Project branding items (t-shirt, kanga), indicating major food groups and potential local vegetable and fruits species. (available here) Reviving Neglected Foods. (available here) Produced with professional inputs from the Alliance’s Performance Innovations Strategic Analysis for Impact, Strategic Performance and Results Management, and Science Writing Service teams’ 13. Challenging barriers to capturing accurate data on food intake in Kenyan populations. (available here) 14. How research is helping to transform food environments in Kenya (available here) 15. High Adherence to the Food Pyramid’s Recommendations Avoids the Risk of Insufficient Nutrient Intake among Farmers in Peri-Urban Kenya (available here) 16. Characteristics of Dietary Intake in Relation to the Consumption of Home-Produced Foods among Farm Women in Two Rural Areas of Kenya: A Preliminary Study (available here) 17. Association between diet quality and risk of stunting among school-aged children in Schistosoma mansoni endemic area of western Kenya: a cross-sectional study (available here) 18. 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