Record Details

What is the cost of integration? Evidence from an integrated health and agriculture project to improve nutrition outcomes in Western Kenya

CGSpace

View Archive Info
 
 
Field Value
 
Title What is the cost of integration? Evidence from an integrated health and agriculture project to improve nutrition outcomes in Western Kenya
 
Creator Levin, C.
Self, J.
Kedera, E.
Wamalwa, M.
Hu, J.
Grant, F.K.
Girard, Amy W.
Cole, D.C.
Low, Jan W.
 
Subject nutrition
sweet potatoes
food security
cost analysis
consumption
 
Description Sweetpotato Action for Security and Health in Africa Project
Integrated nutrition and agricultural interventions have the potential to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of investments in food security and nutrition. This article aimed to estimate the costs of an integrated agriculture and health intervention (Mama SASHA) focused on the promotion of orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) production and consumption in Western Kenya. Programme activities included nutrition education and distribution of vouchers for OFSP vines during antenatal care and postnatal care (PNC) visits. We used expenditures and activity-based costing to estimate the financial costs during programme implementation (2011–13). Cost data were collected from monthly expense reports and interviews with staff members from all implementing organizations. Financial costs totalled US$507 809 for the project period. Recruiting and retaining women over the duration of their pregnancy and postpartum period required significant resources. Mama SASHA reached 3281 pregnant women at a cost of US$155 per beneficiary. Including both pregnant women and infants who attended PNC services with their mothers, the cost was US$110 per beneficiary. Joint planning, co-ordination and training across sectors drove 27% of programme costs. This study found that the average cost per beneficiary to implement an integrated agriculture, health and nutrition programme was substantial. Planning and implementing less intensive integrated interventions may be possible, and economies of scale may reduce overall costs. Empirical estimates of costs by components are critical for future planning and scaling up of integrated programmes.
 
Date 2019-08
2019-10-02T19:30:48Z
2019-10-02T19:30:48Z
 
Type Journal Article
 
Identifier Levin, C.; Self, J.; Kedera, E.; Wamalwa, M.; Hu, J.; Grant, F.K.; Girard, A.W.; Cole, D.C.; Low, J.W. 2019. What is the cost of integration? Evidence from an integrated health and agriculture project to improve nutrition outcomes in Western Kenya. Health Policy and Planning. ISSN 0268-1080. Published online 29Aug2019. 10 p.
0268-1080
https://hdl.handle.net/10568/103817
https://doi.org/10.1093/heapol/czz083
 
Language en
 
Rights CC-BY-4.0
Open Access
 
Format 10 p.
 
Source Health Policy and Planning