Why is undernutrition not a higher priority for donors?
Recent research by the Institute of Development Studies looks at how two donors prioritise undernutrition – The UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) and the European Commission (EC). The study was based upon: • Public commitments made in speeches and press releases • Expenditures, based on data from the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) • Opinions, assessed through interviews with key informants. The research suggests that while DFID and the EC recognise the importance of undernutrition, they do not see investments in reducing it as fundamental to development. However, the EC and DFID do spend relatively large amounts on healthcare, water supply and sanitation, social protection and food security. While these interventions can indirectly impact nutritional status, the absence of a nutrition strategy to guide them does not generate confidence. The authors of the study suggest a number of reasons why commitment by DFID and EU are so lukewarm. These include the fact t
