Enhancing the evaluation of food systems interventions: Lessons learned from Africa and Asia

Transforming food systems to deliver sustainable healthy diets requires innovative, evidence-based approaches. However, due to the dynamic and interconnected nature of food systems, there is a need for sound guidance on designing and evaluating interventions. Recognizing this gap, the CGIAR Research Initiative on Sustainable Healthy Diets through Food Systems Transformation (SHiFT) is exploring best practices for assessing the impact of food systems interventions.

A new IFPRI blog post co-authored by Jef Leroy, IFPRI Senior Research Fellow and lead of SHiFT’s Work Package 1 on consumers and their food environments, discusses the challenges associated with evaluating food systems interventions. The post draws insights from a recent article published in the Journal of Nutrition, which reviewed the program evaluations of six food systems interventions in Africa and Asia.

The article sheds light on the methodological hurdles associated with evaluating food systems interventions. From isolating intervention effects to obtaining timely and accurate data, the study underscores the need for flexible and transparent evaluation methods. Recommendations include developing a robust theory of change, considering a wide range of outcomes, and leveraging diverse evaluation methods. The complexity of food systems interventions also highlights the need for designing evaluations that can accommodate changes that occur during the implementation phase.

The lessons learned in this study provide helpful considerations for designing and conducting more rigorous evaluations of food systems interventions. By applying these recommendations to ongoing work in Viet Nam, Ethiopia, and Bangladesh, SHiFT can better understand the full impact of food system interventions, contributing more effectively to national food systems transformation agendas.

To learn more about the recommendations for evaluating food systems interventions, read the full blog post.

The International Food Policy Research Institute and the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT lead SHiFT in close collaboration with Wageningen University and Research and with contributions from the International Potato Center. SHiFT combines high-quality nutritional and social science research capacity with development partnerships to generate innovative, robust solutions that contribute to healthier, more sustainable dietary choices and consumption of sustainable healthy diets. It builds on CGIAR’s unparalleled track record of agricultural research for development, including ten years of work on food systems and nutrition under the CGIAR Research Program on Agriculture for Nutrition and Health.

Header image: Market in Hanoi, Vietnam by C. de Bode/CGIAR.