Childhood undernutrition remains a major global challenge, with profound consequences for the health, well-being, and long-term development of millions of people. Strategies to tackle malnutrition have often focused on small-scale programs and specific interventions. To improve nutrition outcomes at scale, nutrition policymakers and leaders need evidence on what works. Drawing on the experience of policymakers, nutrition leaders, and program managers, two global research programs are now providing practical insights on large-scale solutions to child undernutrition in different countries. 

In this event, we bring together IFPRI’s Stories of Change and Exemplars in Global Health, which have both been studying successes in reducing childhood stunting. Lessons from these deep research programs, featured in the newly released Lancet 2021 Series on Maternal and Child Undernutrition, offer hope that big change is possible and provide specific direction for countries striving to accelerate progress on nutrition. 

Opening Remarks

• Johan Swinnen, Director General, IFPRI

Speakers:

• Niranjan Bose, Managing Director, Health & Life Sciences, Gates Ventures (Presentation) 
• Zulfiqar Bhutta, Co-director of the Center for Global Child Health and Founding Director of the Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health at the Aga Khan University (Presentation) 
• Stuart Gillespie, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI (Presentation) 
• Rasmi Avula, Research Fellow, IFPRI (Presentation) 
• Drishti Sharma, Manager, Access and Health Policy Research, IAVI (Presentation) 

Moderator

• Purnima Menon, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI