USAID Advancing Nutrition Niger, May 2021

This multi-sectoral project draws on expertise spanning sectors and contexts, collaborating with stakeholders, including JSI Research and Training Institute, Inc., and a diverse group of partners to strengthen nutrition outcomes in various development and humanitarian response settings. The project supports country-led scale-up of effective, integrated, and sustainable nutrition programs and food and health systems, strengthening USAID's global nutrition investments by providing assistance to USAID Missions and local partners working at local, regional, and national levels to improve nutritional status and health outcomes where the burden of malnutrition is highest. The project focuses on individuals most at risk of malnutrition, particularly young children, their caregivers, and women of reproductive age. In Niger, USAID Advancing Nutrition has worked with the Government of Niger and Helen Keller International since November 2020 to reduce malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies. The project addresses the prevalence of anemia among women of reproductive age and adolescents, as well as vitamin A deficiency among children under 5. Technical assistance is provided to strengthen iron-folic acid and vitamin A treatment and prevention services within health facilities and community-level platforms. The project operates in Maradi and Zinder, where vitamin A supplementation coverage is 80 and 66 percent, respectively, and anemia prevalence among women of reproductive age is 43 and 50 percent, respectively. The project aims to achieve three objectives: strengthening government capacity to increase effective coverage of iron-folic acid and vitamin A supplementation, and strengthening implementing partner skills on social and behavior change communication related to anemia and vitamin A deficiency treatment and prevention. In Maradi and Zinder, the project targets areas with high prevalence of anemia and vitamin A deficiency. The project period spans from November 2020 to September 2023, during which time the project will work to strengthen government capacity, implementing partner skills, and social and behavior change communication. The project's geographic focus is on the Maradi and Zinder Regions, where the project will work to improve nutritional status and health outcomes for vulnerable populations.