Nutrition component of poverty reduction strategy papers

What does this indicator tell us?

This indicator describes the strength of nutrition in the country's poverty reduction strategy paper (PRSP). The poverty reduction strategy approach was introduced in 1999, empowering governments to set their own priorities, and encouraging donors to provide predictable, harmonized assistance aligned with a country's priorities. The PRSP should state the development priorities, and should specify the policies, programmes and resources needed to meet these goals. It is prepared by governments in a participatory process that involves civil society and development partners, including the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, and should result in a comprehensive, country-based strategy for poverty reduction.

How is it defined?

This indicator is "strong", "medium"; or "weak", depending on the degree to which nutrition is addressed in the PRSP, in terms of the recognition of undernutrition as a development problem; use of information on nutrition to analyse poverty; and support for appropriate nutrition policies, strategies and programmes. The indicator has been defined and estimated within the "WHO Landscape Analysis", using a methodology proposed by the World Bank (Shekar & Lee, 2006). The most recent PRSPs available on the World Bank website were used. The papers were systematically searched for keywords to identify the sections that concerned nutrition, food security, health outcomes and interventions that would be relevant for the World Bank method. To classify the commitments to nutrition in the PRSPs, a scoring system was developed, which is described in more detail by Engesveen et al. (2009).

What are the implications?

The emphasis given to nutrition in a country's PRSP reflects the extent to which the government considers it essential to improve nutrition for poverty reduction and national development. In other words, it can indicate the government's priority on improving nutrition.

A strong nutrition component in a PRSP means that the country's government considers nutrition a priority for poverty reduction and national development. A weak nutrition component in the document does not necessarily imply that no government department is working to improve nutrition in the country; however, unless such efforts are mentioned in strategy documents such as PRSPs, they may not be sufficiently sustainable or scaled-up to adequately address nutrition problems in that country. The multisectoral nature of nutrition means that it must be addressed by a wide range of actors. Basing such action within frameworks for overall development ensures the accountability of relevant government departments.

Sources of data

WHO. Global database on the implementation of nutrition action (GINA) (https://extranet.who.int/nutrition/gina/).

International Monetary Fund. Poverty reduction strategy papers (PRSP) (http://www.imf.org/external/np/prsp/prsp.aspx).

Further reading

Engesveen K, Nishida C, Prudhon C, Shrimpton R. Assessing countries' commitment to accelerate nutrition action demonstrated in PRSPs, UNDAFs and through nutrition governance. SCN News. 2009;37 (https://www.unscn.org/web/archives_resources/files/scnnews37.pdf).

Shekar M, Lee Y-K. Mainstreaming nutrition in all: what does it take? A review of the early experience. Health, nutrition and population discussion paper. Washington (DC): World Bank; 2006 (http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/578351468324276905/Mainstreaming-nutrition-in-poverty-reduction-strategy-papers-What-does-it-take-A-review-of-the-early-experience).

WHO. Global nutrition policy review. What does it take to scale-up nutrition action? Geneva: World Health Organization; 2013 (www.who.int/nutrition/publications/policies/global_nut_policyreview/en/).

WHO. Global nutrition policy review 2016-2017. Country progress in creating enabling policy environments for promoting healthy diets and nutrition. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2018 (https://www.who.int/nutrition/publications/policies/global_nut_policyreview_2016-2017/en/).

Internet resources

WHO. Landscape analysis on countries' readiness to accelerate action in nutrition. (http://www.who.int/nutrition/landscape_analysis/en/).