Masset et al., 2015
This systematic review assessed the effectiveness of agricultural interventions aimed at improving the nutritional status of children in developing countries. The interventions covered included bio-fortification, home gardens, small-scale fisheries/aquaculture, dairy development, and animal husbandry/poultry development.
Methods:
- The authors searched 10 databases and other sources for relevant studies published after 1990 in English.
- Studies had to use a valid counterfactual analysis (excluding before/after or participant/non-participant designs prone to selection bias).
- 23 studies met the inclusion criteria, mostly evaluating home garden interventions.
Key Findings:
- The interventions increased production of the promoted agricultural goods but had no clear effect on total household income.
- The interventions successfully promoted consumption of protein/micronutrient-rich foods, but effects on overall diet diversity were unclear.
- No evidence of impact on iron absorption, but some evidence of increased vitamin A intake from a meta-analysis on serum retinol levels.
- Very little evidence of reductions in child stunting, wasting or underweight, though studies lacked statistical power.
The authors concluded that the evidence provides no confident answer on the effectiveness of these agricultural interventions for improving child nutrition, likely due to methodological weaknesses rather than lack of efficacy. They recommend more rigorous study designs, agreed quality standards, and investigation of intermediate outcomes and participation determinants.
In summary, while the interventions appeared to increase production and consumption of specific nutrient-rich foods, there was limited evidence that this translated to meaningful impacts on overall child nutritional status based on the available evidence from these 23 studies. Methodological limitations hindered definitive conclusions.