Food Value Chains for Nutrition, in Agriculture for Improved Nutrition: Seizing the Momentum

Despite global goals to decrease malnutrition, there remain many challenges in providing access to a nutritious diet for all. Food value chains for nutrition have been the focus of a number of reviews but evidence of their impacts remains limited. Using a systems perspective to look at markets and the role of the private sector in nutrition includes not only the complex relations between multiple actors and trade-offs between often competing objectives, but also the supporting environment in terms of infrastructure (e.g. roads, energy) and the guiding laws and social norms. This chapter focuses on understanding the supply and demand aspects of food value chains and their relationship to nutrition using a food-systems perspective. It considers the collaborative roles of value chain actors, including producers, consumers, organizations, businesses, and the public sector. Finally, the chapter provides specific examples of interventions that have strived to put food value chains to work for nutrition and the lessons learned.