Capacity Building for Better Nutrition in Africa

1. Capacity Building for Better Nutrition in Africa The Case of the Applied Nutrition Programme (ANP), University of Nairobi, Kenya Mwangi A.M. Applied Nutrition Programme University of Nairobi 34th SCN Meeting, Rome 25th Feb to 1st March 2007

2. Background • Teaching and development research oriented programme • Core business is production of high quality multidisciplinary trained nutritionists through degree programmes • Been involved in research and development of prototype intervention designs 34th SCN Meeting, Rome 25th Feb to 1st March 2007

3. Background • 1985 – Inception – following 1979 recommendations of Fact finding mission of 6 experts from UNU, ACC/SCN to four African Countries: Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan and Tanzania • AIM: improve nutrition training, policy and performance for sustained development through production of high quality multidisciplinary trained nutritionists 34th SCN Meeting, Rome 25th Feb to 1st March 2007

4. Main Objective Provide participants with abilities to: • Assess nutritional problems from a multidisciplinary point of view • Suggest and work out realistic and feasible intervention measures addressing identified priority problems • Conceptualize, design and implement studies, analyze data and write the results in form of research communication 34th SCN Meeting, Rome 25th Feb to 1st March 2007

5. The Experience • For >decade, ANP benefited from both substantial and small funding input from various development partners: • governments of Germany, The Netherlands, Canada and Denmark • the USAID • UNU, Sight & Life and UNICEF • mainly for infrastructure and human capacity development • In the interface from too much dependency on donor funding: • commissioned assignments brought more resources to ANP • GTZ, DAAD, German Foundation for International Development and the UNU provided scholarships • the university & government provided scholarships & salaries 34th SCN Meeting, Rome 25th Feb to 1st March 2007

6. The Experience • To date, UNU remains a valued scholarship source especially for non-Kenyan ANP MSc. Students (a maximum of 3 per year) • DAAD also funds some students – without research funds • UON – funds one or two outstanding former graduates 34th SCN Meeting, Rome 25th Feb to 1st March 2007

7. The Experience • Government – funds some of own employees from MOH, MOA, MOE • ANP also has benefited from the Ellison Medical Fund (EMF) – currently 3 Kenyan PhD fellows have received funding 34th SCN Meeting, Rome 25th Feb to 1st March 2007

8. Output • A total 209 people trained at MSc. level of which: • 67% - Kenyan • 26.5% - Other EA countries and the Horn of Africa • 4.6% - Central, Western and Southern Africa • 2% - Other parts of the world including the North. • High quality nutritionists as output – holding key positions • But, trends in registration – decreasing 34th SCN Meeting, Rome 25th Feb to 1st March 2007

9. 34th SCN Meeting, Rome 25th Feb to 1st March 2007

10. 34th SCN Meeting, Rome 25th Feb to 1st March 2007

11. Challenges • Funding deficits are the template for most challenges – scholarships, staffing, teaching facilities etc • Highly qualified and well exposed staff – an asset as well as a threat • Collaboration with other institutions • Curriculum reviews and improvement • Poor access to journals and other literature • ICT gaps • Retraining of trainers and development workers • Research funding 34th SCN Meeting, Rome 25th Feb to 1st March 2007

12. Coping strategies • Privatizing university programmes • Introducing other IGA e.g. provision of services to the community at a fee • Introduction of short courses for development workers at a fee However, better linkages and networking with other institutions are required. 34th SCN Meeting, Rome 25th Feb to 1st March 2007