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Review
. 2016 Jul:62:28-40.
doi: 10.1016/j.foodpol.2016.05.002.

Impact of agricultural interventions on the nutritional status in South Asia: A review

Vijay Laxmi Pandey  1 , S Mahendra Dev  1 , Usha Jayachandran  1
Affiliations
Free PMC article
Review

Impact of agricultural interventions on the nutritional status in South Asia: A review

Vijay Laxmi Pandey et al. Food Policy. 2016 Jul.
Free PMC article

Abstract

Nearly half of the malnourished population of the world lives in South Asia, and agriculture is the main source of livelihood of the people in this region. Many review exercises have analysed the available evidences to understand the ways in which agriculture can be leveraged to enhance nutritional status; however, very few of them have employed a systematic approach ensuring internal and external validity. The present paper seeks to fill this gap for strengthening the policy recommendations. It demonstrates an association between agricultural interventions and nutritional outcomes; and it shows that the production of targeted nutrition-rich crops, homestead gardens, and diversification of the agricultural production system towards fruits and vegetables and aquaculture can potentially improve nutrient intake and nutritional outcomes. The empowerment of women and nutrition knowledge play a crucial role in establishing linkage between agriculture and nutritional outcomes.

Keywords: Agricultural intervention; Nutrition; South Asia; Women empowerment.

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Figures

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Fig. 1
Internal validity scores.
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External validity scores.
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Pathways of agricultural interventions and nutrition.
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