Objectives
Provide evidence for improvements in nutritional outcomes based on the implementation of the Enhanced Homestead Food Production (EHFP) program in West Timor, Indonesia. Implementation of EHFP is expected to sustainably improve nutrition, infant and young child feeding, home gardening and animal husbandry behaviors among poor, rural households.
Methods
At baseline, a representative random sample from the participating 1,600 households assessed measures of Food Consumption Score (FCS), Dietary Diversity, and the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale. Every 4-5 months thereafter, HKI collected data on these measures from 19 households as per the Lot Quality Assurance Sampling (LQAS) protocols from five geographically-defined areas. HKI also collected data on infant and young child feeding practices in both the baseline survey and the LQAS surveys.
Results
At baseline, only 33% of the households were currently eating an acceptable diet as per FCS. LQAS data showed sustained improvements in FCS among over 60% of households after two years of implementation. At baseline, only 28.7% of children were breastfed within 1 hour of birth and LQAS results demonstrated a change to nearly 98%. Additionally, only 11.8% of children had a minimum dietary diversity score and this had increased to 42% after two years.
Conclusions
Food-based approaches to combat malnutrition can lead to lasting improvements for the health and nutrition of mothers and children in one of the most malnourished areas of Indonesia. The village governments in the project areas have recognized the importance of EHFP and have dedicated significant funds to support it after HKI has scaled activities down.
