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With research staff from more than 60 countries, and offices across the globe, IFPRI provides research-based policy solutions to sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger and malnutrition in developing countries.

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researcher spotlight

Samuel Benin

Samuel Benin is the Acting Director for Africa in the Development Strategies and Governance Unit. He conducts research on national strategies and public investment for accelerating food systems transformation in Africa and provides analytical support to the African Union’s CAADP Biennial Review.

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IFPRI currently has more than 600 employees working in over 80 countries with a wide range of local, national, and international partners.

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Nutrition, Diets, and Health

Rasmi Avula

Research Fellow

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Bio

Rasmi Avula is a Research Fellow in the Nutrition, Diets, and Health Unit. Her research focuses on understanding processes and determinants that influence program implementation and their impact on nutrition. As part of a large portfolio of work under POSHAN (Partnerships and Opportunities to Strengthen and Harmonize Actions for Nutrition in India), Rasmi works on synthesizing and generating evidence to inform policy and programmatic decisions aimed at improving maternal and child nutrition. Rasmi has a master’s in Nutrition from South Carolina State University, Columbia, and a PhD in Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior from the University of South Carolina, Columbia, USA.

Publications

Publications

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Journal Article

Identifying measures for coverage of nutrition-sensitive social protection programs: Learnings from India

2024Nguyen, Phuong; Avula, Rasmi; Neupane, Sumanta; Akseer, Nadia; Heidkamp, Rebecca
Details

Identifying measures for coverage of nutrition-sensitive social protection programs: Learnings from India

Optimal child growth requires a combination of nutrition-specific and sensitive interventions in the first 1,000 days. There is limited guidance on how to measure the population-level coverage of nutrition-sensitive social protection (NSSP), which is designed with explicit nutrition goals and often provides food or cash transfers and co-coverage with nutrition and health intervention. In this study in India, we designed a questionnaire that captures seven core NSSP program elements (transfer type, size, modality, population, timing, provider, conditionalities), then used cognitive testing to refine the questionnaire, and then implemented the questions as part of a telephone survey. Cognitive testing indicated variability in understanding the terms used to specify NSSP programs, including the need to use regional program names. Respondents also had difficulty recalling the timing of the benefit receipt. We included the refined NSSP coverage questions in a phone-based survey with 6,627 mothers with children <2 years across six states. Coverage of subsidized food was 73% across all households. Women were more likely to report receiving food than cash transfers during pregnancy (89% vs. 60%) and during lactation (75% vs. 13%). Co-coverage of NSSP with nutrition and health interventions during pregnancy (16%) and early childhood (3%) was low. It was feasible to measure coverage of NSSP investments in these populations; however, further research is needed to comprehensively assess all the dimensions of the NSSP benefits, including benefit adequacy and the validity of these questions when administered in person and by phone.

Year published

2024

Authors

Nguyen, Phuong; Avula, Rasmi; Neupane, Sumanta; Akseer, Nadia; Heidkamp, Rebecca

Citation

Nguyen, Phuong; Avula, Rasmi; Neupane, Sumanta; Akseer, Nadia; and Heidkamp, Rebecca. Identifying measures for coverage of nutrition-sensitive social protection programs: Learnings from India. Maternal and Child Nutrition. Article in press. First published online June 12, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.13661

Country/Region

India

Keywords

Asia; Southern Asia; Child Growth; Measurement; Nutrition; Social Protection

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Links

https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.13661 Source record

Project

Sustainable Healthy Diets

Record type

Journal Article

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Journal Article

Utilization of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and its linkages with undernutrition in India

2024
Singh, Shri K; Chauhan, Alka; Alderman, Harold; Avula, Rasmi; Dwivedi, Laxmi K; Kapoor, Rati; Meher, Trupti; Menon, Purnima; Nguyen, Phuong; Pedgaonker, Sarang
…more Puri, Parul; Chakrabarti, Suman
Details

Utilization of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and its linkages with undernutrition in India

The Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) programme has been the central focus of the POSHAN Abhiyaan to combat maternal and child malnutrition under the national nutrition mission in India. This paper examined the linkages between utilization of ICDS and underweight among children aged 6-59 months. The study utilized data from two recent rounds of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4 [2015-2016] and NFHS-5 [2019-2021]). Descriptive analyses were used to assess the change in utilization of ICDS and the prevalence of underweight at the national and state levels. Multivariable logistic regressions were performed to examine factors associated with the utilization of ICDS and underweight. Linkages between utilization of ICDS and underweight were examined using the difference-in-differences (DID) approach. Utilization of ICDS increased from 58% in 2015-2016 to 71% in 2019-2021. The prevalence of underweight decreased from 37% to 32% in the same period. Changes in ICDS utilization and underweight prevalence varied considerably across states, socioeconomic and demographic characteristics. Results from decomposition of DID models suggest that improvements in ICDS explained 9%-12% of the observed reduction in underweight children between 2016 and 2021, suggesting that ICDS made a modest but meaningful contribution in addressing undernutrition among children aged 6-59 months in this period.

Year published

2024

Authors

Singh, Shri K; Chauhan, Alka; Alderman, Harold; Avula, Rasmi; Dwivedi, Laxmi K; Kapoor, Rati; Meher, Trupti; Menon, Purnima; Nguyen, Phuong; Pedgaonker, Sarang; Puri, Parul; Chakrabarti, Suman

Citation

Singh, Shri K.; Chauhan, Alka; Alderman, Harold; Avula, Rasmi; Dwivedi, Laxmi K.; Kapoor, Rati; et al. Utilization of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and its linkages with undernutrition in India. Maternal and Child Nutrition. Article in press. First published online on April 8, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.13644

Country/Region

India

Keywords

Asia; Southern Asia; Child Development; Child Health; Child Nutrition; Nutrition Interventions; Nutrition Policies; Nutritional Status; Underweight

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Links

https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.13644 Source record

Project

National Policies and Strategies

Record type

Journal Article

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Brief

Development of a methods repository for food choice behaviors and drivers at the household and individual levels

2023Boncyk, Morgan; Isanovic, Sejla; Samin, Sharraf; Rampalli, Krystal K.; Frongillo, Edward A.; Avula, Rasmi; Kim, Sunny S.; Scott, Samuel; Blake, Christine E.
Details

Development of a methods repository for food choice behaviors and drivers at the household and individual levels

This brief identifies important constructs for assessing drivers of food choice behaviors and describes progress on the development of a repository of instruments and measures for assessing these constructs. OBJECTIVES 1. List constructs that can be assessed to understand drivers of household and individual food choice behaviors. 2. Identify instruments and measures to assess each food choice construct and organize these into a searchable repository. 3. Illustrate the use of the Food Choice Repository.

Year published

2023

Authors

Boncyk, Morgan; Isanovic, Sejla; Samin, Sharraf; Rampalli, Krystal K.; Frongillo, Edward A.; Avula, Rasmi; Kim, Sunny S.; Scott, Samuel; Blake, Christine E.

Citation

Boncyk, Morgan; Isanovic, Sejla; Samin, Sharraf; Avula, Rasmi; Kim, Sunny S.; Scott, Samuel et al. Development of a methods repository for food choice behaviors and drivers at the household and individual levels. TAFSSA Research Note 1. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). https://doi.org/10.2499/p15738coll2.136874

Keywords

Southern Asia; Feeding Preferences; Households; Behaviour; Nutrition; Obesity; Non-communicable Diseases

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Links

https://doi.org/10.2499/p15738coll2.136874 Source record

Project

Transforming Agrifood Systems in South Asia

Record type

Brief

Events

Delivering for Nutrition in South Asia: Transforming Diets
IFPRI Program/Country Event

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November 9 to 10, 2022

Delivering for Nutrition in South Asia: Transforming Diets

Hybrid Event: November 9, 2022 – 4:30 PM to November 10, 2022 – 6:30 PM GMT. The purpose of this conference is to synthesize relevant evidence and stimulate dialogue to inform and guide policy and program initiatives in South Asia for improving equitable access to and consumption of healthy diets.

Delivering for Nutrition in India: Insights from Implementation Research
IFPRI Program/Country Event

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September 14 to 18, 2020

Delivering for Nutrition in India: Insights from Implementation Research

Coinciding with the national nutrition month in India, or Poshan Maah, a group of 19 co-hosts are organizing the third India-focused implementation research conference “Delivering for Nutrition in India: Insights from Implementation Research” from 14-18 September 2020. At this event, participants will review evidence to inform the implementation of current policy and program initiatives. They […]

American Society for Nutrition Live Online 2020
IFPRI at External Event

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June 1 to 4, 2020

American Society for Nutrition Live Online 2020

IFPRI is participating in the American Society for Nutrition Live Online 2020 event on June 01-04, 2020. The event will include lectures, scientific sessions, satellite programs, virtual abstract presentations, virtual exhibits, and more. Nutrition in a Pandemic Environment  COVID-19’s Pathways of Impact on Nutrition (June 02, 2020 — 10:30am – 10:45am) Panel Discussion (June 02, 2020 — […]

News

January 10, 2023 | In the News

On rice schemes, how Naveen Patnaik has been one step ahead of Centre (Indian Express) 

Indian Express reports on the progress Odisha is making to move into the next leg of its National Food Security scheme showing a good example of how food schemes – specifically to provide cheap rice – can be a winner.  It was in 2008 that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik first unveiled the scheme to provide Rs […]

November 19, 2019 | In the News

Odisha’s stride in nutrition (The Hindu)

The Hindu published an article about Odisha’s (India) work to improve nutrition. IFPRI’s research called for inter-department engagements to accelerate the nutrition outcome in Odisha. There is a need to improve sanitation, women’s education, and underlying poverty, to be able to tackle undernutrition.

July 03, 2019 | In the News

How fixing female malnutrition can boost India’s economy by $15-46 billion (Business Standard)

India’s Business Standard reported on the potential for investing in women’s nutrition to boost the country’s economy by up to $46 billion. The article described the state of women’s, and consequently children’s, malnourishment in India and referenced an IFPRI study by Senior Research Fellow Purnima Menon and Research Fellows Rasmi Avula and Samuel Scott that […]

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