Project profile — Innovative Approaches to Improve Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices



Overview 

CA-3-D000142001
$20,000,000
FHI 360
2014-03-21 - 2017-08-31
Closed
Global Affairs Canada
MFM Global Issues & Dev.Branch

Country / region 

• Burkina Faso (30.00%)
• Ethiopia (30.00%)
• Bangladesh (40.00%)

Sector 

• Basic Health: Basic nutrition (12240) (100.00%)

Policy marker 

• Gender equality (significant objective)
• Environmental sustainability (cross-cutting) (not targeted)
• Participatory development and good governance (not targeted)
• Trade development (not targeted)
• Biodiversity (not targeted)
• Climate change mitigation (not targeted)
• Climate Change Adaptation (not targeted)
• Urban issues (not targeted)
• Desertification (not targeted)
• Children's issues (not targeted)
• Youth Issues (not targeted)
• Indigenous Issues (not targeted)
• Disability (not targeted)
• ICT as a tool for development (not targeted)

Description 

This project seeks to improve the nutrition, health, and survival of newborns and infants in countries where malnutrition is widespread by improving breastfeeding and infant feeding during the transition from exclusive breastfeeding to family foods, called complementary feeding. This initiative aims to use state-of-the-art methods such as private sector marketing, communications, social networking, technology expertise, and technical assistance, to create the social and behavioural changes needed to improve infant and young child feeding practices. The main activities of the project include: (i) engaging the private sector in the development of marketing strategies to improve breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices; and (ii) advocating for an integrated package of activities that includes the promotion of optimal breastfeeding practices during the neonatal period and improved diets for women during adolescence, pregnancy, and lactation. The project also works to build the capacity of frontline health workers to address malnutrition effectively, conduct awareness and behaviour change activities, and evaluate the impact and assess the cost-effectiveness of infant and young child feeding interventions in order to continue to improve their effectiveness and to replicate them in other settings. This project is part of Canada's maternal, newborn, and child health commitment.

Expected results 

The expected results for this project include: (i) increased rates of exclusive breastfeeding among infants 0-6 months old; (ii) increased number of children put to the breast within one hour of birth; (iii) decreased infant and neonatal mortality; (iv) improved complementary feeding practices in children aged 0-23 months; (v) prevention of stunting and wasting in children under five; and (vi) improved policy and program platforms for maternal diet, breastfeeding, and complementary feeding.

Results achieved 

Results achieved as of the end of the project (August 2017) include: (1) in Bangladesh, 99% of pregnant women in the intervention areas consumed iron, folic acid and calcium supplements during pregnancy; more than 120,000 women were counselled on proper nutrition during pregnancy; (2) in Burkina Faso, more than 50,000 pregnant and lactating women were counseled on early and exclusive breastfeeding; at the end of the project, 93% of infants between the ages of 0 to 6 months were being exclusively breastfed compared to 27% at the baseline; (3) in Ethiopia, more than 210,000 people participated in enhanced community conversations to improve infant and child feeding practices; at the end of the project, 86% of infants between the ages of 0 to 5 months were being exclusively breastfed. The improved age-appropriate feeding practices led to reductions in stunting and wasting that saved an estimated 5,536 lives.

Budget and spending 


Original budget $0
Planned disbursement $0
Transactions
Country percentages by sector
Type of finance Aid grant excluding debt reorganisation
Collaboration type Bilateral
Type of aid Contributions to specific-purpose programmes and funds managed by implementing partners
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