Home-Grown School Feeding: Implementation Lessons From a Pilot in a Poor Ethnic Minority Community in Vietnam.
Food Nutr Bull
; 43(3): 271-302, 2022 09.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-35470722
BACKGROUND: Undernutrition threatens the health and future of preschool children in disadvantaged remote communities. Home-grown school feeding (HGSF) in nursery schools could positively impact children's nutrition while creating multiple benefits for the whole community. However, evidence is lacking on implementation of HGSF within multi-sectoral programs in remote areas. OBJECTIVE: This study assessed an HGSF pilot intervention, part of a nutrition-sensitive agriculture (NSA) program, in a mountain ethnic minority community in Vietnam. It aimed to identify the changes brought about by the intervention, in particular diversity of children's food, food sources, barriers and facilitators to change, and future challenges and strategies. METHODS: Mixed-methods assessment covered school meal diversity, cost, and food sources but the key focus was on observed changes resulting from the HGSF intervention and perceived barriers and facilitators to its implementation. Data were collected mainly through semi-structured interviews (n = 30) and seven focus group discussions (n = 76). RESULTS: School meals contributed to increasing diversity of food consumed by children. Above 30% of foods used were home-grown. Respondents reported increased school attendance; children's food preferences and hygiene practices improved as did parents' caring and feeding practices. Local food systems became less cash-crop-oriented and more self-reliant, contributing to household food security and income generation. Social capital increased. Positive changes were attributed to HGSF and synergy among NSA program components. Poverty and limited resilience to external shocks threatened sustainability. CONCLUSIONS: Implementing HGSF within an NSA program in a mountainous ethnic minority area with a high prevalence of undernutrition benefitted children and their communities.
Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Etnicidad
/
Desnutrición
Tipo de estudio:
Qualitative_research
/
Risk_factors_studies
Aspecto:
Determinantes_sociais_saude
Límite:
Child, preschool
/
Humans
País/Región como asunto:
Asia
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Food Nutr Bull
Año:
2022
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Países Bajos
Pais de publicación:
Estados Unidos