Nutrition

The UN Sustainable Development Goal 1 (no poverty) and Goal 2 (zero hunger) are at the heart of the EU commitment to address under-nutrition, a major global challenge that traps individuals and society in the vicious circle of poverty and is a key cause of morbidity and mortality.

The EU Commission supports partner countries in reducing the number of children under five who are stunted by at least 7 million by 2025. As explained in the Communication Enhancing Maternal and Child Nutrition in External Assistance: An EU Policy Framework and in the EU Action Plan on Nutrition, the Commission focuses on maternal and child nutrition, and the first 1,000 days of life, that are considered critical in preventing undernutrition and its consequences.

In the nutrition sector, the desired impact / overall objective is to reduce under-nutrition in infants and children, which is directly linked with SDG target 2.2 to end all forms of malnutrition. The results chain is structured around the three EU strategic priorities, as defined in the EU Action Plan on Nutrition.

EU strategic priorities

Enhance mobilisation and political commitment for nutrition

EU priority to increase the commitments and governance to address under-nutrition

Desired outcomes:

• Increased financial commitments by donors in nutrition
• Increased national commitments (in terms of targets and resources) in countries with a high burden of under-nutrition

This will require placing nutrition higher in the development agenda, a greater integration of nutrition in sector priorities and stronger governance for nutrition both at national and international levels.

Scale up actions at country level

EU priority to address the causes of maternal and child under-nutrition

Desired outcomes:

• Adequate dietary intake of children and women of reproductive age
• Improved health status for children and women of reproductive age

This can be achieved via improving access to quality healthcare, child and maternal care and household food security by addressing the internationally recognised four pillars of food security and placing emphasis on addressing the causes of maternal and child under-nutrition as summarised in the internationally recognised malnutrition conceptual framework.

Knowledge for nutrition

EU priority to address knowledge gaps

Desired outcomes:

• Improved knowledge and quality of information for decision-making
• Evidence-based national nutrition strategies and policies

This will entail establishing National Information Platform for Nutrition and investing more in research. Increased evidence (with a particular focus on nutrition-sensitive interventions) will facilitate the design and implementation of effective nutrition action.

Policy and Strategic Documents

• Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI) (2021)
• GAP III objectives and indicators (SWD2020 - 284 final)
• EU Action Plan on Nutrition (2014-2020)
• Communication Enhancing Maternal and Child Nutrition in External Assistance: An EU Policy Framework (2013)