Emerging global evidence highlights the lack of critical, accurate, and timely data as a major weakness for decision-making around policy and programmatic actions relevant to diets, nutrition, and overall food systems. With rapid and increased utilization of digital technologies by development programs, there is a growing focus on the development of novel metrics that can better support evidence-based policy making.
Research supported by the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Nutrition in low- and middle-income countries explores the use of technologies such as mobile data and accelerometers to assess food security and the relationship of physical activity, energy expenditure and diet quality in specific population sub-groups. Please join us to learn more about the research findings and policy and programmatic implications from the studies conducted in India, Nepal, and Ghana aimed at generating evidence for sound policy making in agriculture, nutrition, and health.
Moderator:
Grace Namirembe - Data Analyst for the U.S. Government’s Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Nutrition.
Panelists:
Dr. Robin Shrestha - Regional project manager for the U.S. Government’s Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Nutrition. Dr. Shrestha received his Master’s in science degree in Food Policy and Applied Nutrition at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University and has a degree in Medicine with 8 years of clinical experience in rural settings of Nepal. He currently oversees and supports Nutrition Innovation Lab’s research and capacity building activities in Asia and Africa.
Dr. Giacomo Zanello - Associate Professor in Food Economics and Health at the University of Reading (UK) and LCIRAH Fellow. Previously, as research fellow at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Dr. Zanello supported the work of the Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Systems for Nutrition in its commitment to tackling global challenges in food and nutrition security. From 2012 to 2015 he was a research officer at Oxford University’s Department of International Development.
Lichen Liang - Data analyst for the U.S. Government’s Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Nutrition. Lichen provides statistical support for projects in Uganda, Nepal, and Mozambique. His research interests are food systems, linkage between agriculture and nutrition, and food insecurity. He specializes in machine learning and is interested in applying new statistical methods to nutrition problems.