Gender, Agriculture, and Nutrition in South Asia: Conceptualising the Links

Abstract

Even with higher economic growth and an overall reduction in poverty, there exists child undernutrition, maternal undernutrition and diverse forms of micro nutrient deficiencies – a phenomenon labelled as the South Asian Paradox. Eradicating undernutrition requires a dedicated effort to alleviating child undernutrition, as South Asia accounts for forty percent of the world’s undernourished children. Agricultural growth, by enabling farming households to grow more/better food for self-consumption, and opening opportunities for employment, can contribute importantly to this process. This brief sets out the conceptual starting points for LANSA research on the gender-agriculture pathways to improve nutritional outcomes.