USAID/ENGINE gathers partners to share research findings and strengthen the nutrition cause in Ethiopia

USAID’s flagship nutrition project Empowering New Generations to Improve Nutrition and Economic opportunities (ENGINE) recently completed two large nutrition research studies. Save the Children with Tufts University and Jimma University held a two day research symposium from 27-28 June, 2016 at the Hilton hotel, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to share the findings of these and other research studies conducted through ENGINE. The Symposium brought together research partners including the Friedman School of Nutrition Science & Policy at Tufts University, Valid International, Jimma University, Hawassa University and the Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI) to publicly present the findings of the diverse range of research activities conducted under the USAID/ENGINE Project. The findings were presented to an audience which included key government partners, researchers, donors, higher education institutions as well as various other organizations working on nutrition in Ethiopia.

During his opening remarks, John Graham, Country Director for Save the Children International, outlined the importance of sharing USAID/ENGINE’s work and research findings to help shape nutrition policies and strategies in Ethiopia. Dennis Weller, USAID Mission Director and member of National Nutrition Coordination Body, highlighted the importance of nutrition in Ethiopia particularly in light of the impact of the drought on nutrition. He also affirmed the commitment of USAID and Feed the Future to improving nutrition in Ethiopia. The statements were supported by Professor Fikre Lemessa, President of Jimma University and Dr. Amha Kebede, Director General of the Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI) who both commended the significant milestones reached by the project in advancing the nutrition agenda and called for more collaborations from partners to work and bring about further change.

Presentations and discussion on results from the two large studies led by Tufts, Jimma and Hawassa universities, the Birth Cohort Study and Agriculture-Nutrition Panel Study followed. PhD candidate in human nutrition at Jimma University who are supported by ENGINE were among the presenters. Results from studies on severe acute malnutrition and moderate acute malnutrition conducted by Valid International and Jimma University were shared. Save the Children also shared the project’s research findings on the impact of livelihood interventions on most vulnerable households, and Valid International presented preliminary findings from USAID/ENGINE’s ongoing comprehensive impact evaluation. The following day’s events included a presentation from the University of South Carolina on ‘Stories of Change in Nutrition’ as well as findings from nutrition policy research as well as the national micronutrient survey presented by EPHI. In his closing remarks, Dr. Habtamu Fekadu, USAID/ENGINE’s Chief of Party, stressed the importance of documentation and knowledge sharing as a key factor in furthering the objectives of projects like USAID/ENGINE and pledged to share what has been uncovered in order to shape project design and policy in the country.