Multisector nutrition information systems (NIS) are gaining traction at national and global levels. In 2021, WHO-UNICEF Technical Expert Advisory Group on Nutrition Monitoring (TEAM) released guidance on national NIS, and partners, including DataDENT, are supporting diverse aspects of NIS development. Costing and financing are critical – but too often overlooked – elements of NIS development. A successful NIS is only…
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Improving data visualization for nutrition audiences in Nigeria
It is said that “a picture is worth a thousand words.” But how many times have you seen a complicated looking graph on a screen and struggled to interpret it? Data visualization—the process of using graphs and figures to display data—can only be impactful when a target audience can clearly interpret their key messages. Back in May 2021 we shared…
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Purpose-driven design: India’s District Nutrition Profiles
A critical component of the nutrition data value chain is the link between data translation and decision making. Tools like profiles, scorecards, and dashboards can present data in a way that can be easily interpreted and persuasive in conveying key messages. However, to be effective, these tools must have a clear purpose and reflect the needs and preferences of their…
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Building a strong data foundation for Nigeria’s Nutrition Information System
Earlier today in Abuja, the Federal Ministry of Health of Nigeria officially launched the Health Sector Recommendations for Nutrition Indicators Collected Nationally in Nigeria. This document is a key output from the ongoing collaboration between the government of Nigeria, its development partners, and DataDENT towards strengthening Nigeria’s National Nutrition Information System (NIS). Nigeria’s nutrition stakeholders rely on data collected from…
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Staying committed: The importance of nutrition data financing
A wide range of nutrition stakeholders came together in early December 2021 for the Tokyo Nutrition for Growth (N4G) Summit. Accountability—including “quality data collection and evidence-based progress measurements and reporting”—was one of the event’s five thematic pillars. Other thematic areas included food, health, resilience, and financing. In the lead up to N4G, DataDENT and partners advocated for all types of…
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How can innovations advance the nutrition data revolution?
“We must be bold enough to embrace all the potential with open eyes because one thing is certain: the next new idea is just around the corner and it might just save a life.” – Arif Husain, WFP Data innovations hold promise for addressing challenges across all aspects of the nutrition data value chain (DVC). The time is opportune to…
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More to come: Taking stock of DataDENT’s 2021 achievements and 2022 plans
Happy New Year to much of the world! While there are bigger headlines dominating our news feeds, the start of 2022 signals that we are in the final stretch in DataDENT’s first 5-year funding cycle. DataDENT global and country partners have been hard at work and also celebrating the fruits of multiple years of learning and engagement. This post reviews…
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Signs of progress: 2021 has more data for global targets and more commitment to data
The 2021 Global Nutrition Report (GNR) was released in late November as part of the leadup to this week’s Nutrition for Growth event hosted by the Government of Japan. The report’s headlines were not exactly a cause for celebration. The world remains off-course to meet five of the six World Health Assembly maternal, infant, and young child nutrition (MIYCN) targets…
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Why harmonization of food security measurement in phone surveys is needed: Lessons from India
Background Food security is essential for a healthy and productive population. In 1996, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) stated that food security “exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.” FAO recognized four dimensions…
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How can N4G 2021 commitments strengthen the nutrition data value chain?
On 7-8 December 2021, the Government of Japan will host the second Nutrition for Growth (N4G) Summit. N4G is a high-profile advocacy event that calls on governments, development partners, and the private sector to make public commitments to actions that will accelerate progress to the World Health Assembly 2025 Nutrition Targets and 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. The event is strategically…