Country: Nepal

Project Name: Integrated Infant Young Child Feeding (IYCF), Micronutrient Powder (MNP), and Early Childhood Development (ECD) Program

Objective/Purpose(s):

• Design and implement a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system for the IYCF/ MNP/ ECD program
• Design and implement a national micronutrient survey

Background:

IMMPaCt supports Nepal to plan, implement and evaluate an integrated infant and young child feeding (IYCF), multiple micronutrient powders (MNP), and early childhood development (ECD) intervention package for children 0-24 months of age. The intervention package was piloted in 6 districts, and a phased national scale up to all 75 districts in Nepal began in 2012. During the pilot phase, IMMPaCt provided technical assistance to develop a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system and identify the distribution model to use for the national scale up of the intervention package. IMMPaCt also designed an impact evaluation of the integrated IYCF/MNP/ECD intervention package to be carried out in two districts.

IMMPaCt is also providing technical assistance for designing a national micronutrient survey, including specifically the status of vitamins A and B12, iron, folic acid, iodine and the condition of anemia. The survey will also collect information on anthropometry, infectious diseases, blood disorders, and markers of inflammation. Additionally, the survey will provide information on priority process and outcome indicators for national supplementation and fortification interventions, and other key micronutrient and nutrition interventions in the country.

Recent Achievements and/or Key Findings:

• The pilot is complete and M&E system was tested, revised and improved during the pilot period. The revised system will be implemented during the scale up to new districts.
• The baseline impact evaluation was completed by early 2013, with plans for a follow up evaluation to be completed by early 2015.
• A summary protocol of the national micronutrient survey was drafted and financial commitments are being secured with data collection tentatively planned for mid-2015.

Potential Impact:

There is commitment from the Nepali government and international partners to fund the national scale up of the integrated IYCF/MNP/ECD intervention package. The monitoring system package to be implemented as part of the scale up will improve the effectiveness of the intervention when it is at scale. The impact evaluation will provide needed information to Nepal and the global community about the effects of integrated home fortification programs under programmatic conditions. The national micronutrient survey will provide information for decision-makers and stakeholders for planning, monitoring, and evaluating micronutrient and other nutrition interventions in order to improve nutrition and health status in Nepal.

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