Linking Social Protection and Nutrition Outcomes: Best Practices and Opportunities in Somalia

Kyallo Florence^1, , Farah Mohamed², Rithaa Gilbert³, Mohamed Hassan², Abdullahi Leila⁴ and Ngina Clementina⁵

¹Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture & Technology, Department of Human Nutrition Sciences, P.O Box 62000-00200, Nairobi

²Office of the National Coordination for Scaling Up Nutrition, Office of Prime Minister, Federal Government of Somalia

³Horn Population Research & Development, Somalia and Kenya Office

⁴African Institute for Development Policy, Research

⁵Public Health Nutrition Consultant

Cite this paper:
Kyallo Florence, Farah Mohamed, Rithaa Gilbert, Mohamed Hassan, Abdullahi Leila and Ngina Clementina. Linking Social Protection and Nutrition Outcomes: Best Practices and Opportunities in Somalia. Journal of Food and Nutrition Research. 2021; 9(8):430-433. doi: 10.12691/jfnr-9-8-5

Abstract

Social protection is one of the nutrition-sensitive interventions that if well targeted can be an effective means to reach marginalised, poor, and nutritionally vulnerable populations. This study aimed to document key linkages, best practices, and synergies between social protection programming and nutrition in Somalia and similar fragile contexts. Data was collected using key informant interviews. The enablers to the linkage of social protection and nutrition in Somalia include Government commitment and goodwill, donor awareness, and presence of the first-ever long-term and Government-led social protection program known as Safety Nets and Human Capacity Project. However, sustainability, inadequate coordination, targetting, and the lack of nutrition indicators and objectives, among others, are the challenges facing the efforts by government and stakeholders. There is need for Government, through leadership of the office of the National Coordination for Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN), to strengthen systems for integrating social protection and nutrition. This entails fostering coordination among stakeholders in the social protection and nutrition sectors and adequate funding.

Keywords:
social protection SUN Somalia nutrition cash transfer nutrition-sensitive interventions

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References:

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