Use the USAID Nawiri Framework to browse evidence of the drivers of and solutions to addressing persistent acute malnutrition in the Kenya arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs). The learning briefs and full reports within the framework present information as it relates to information studied by USAID Nawiri.
Download the USAID Nawiri Framework Technical Brief for a brief summary of Nawiri and the framework.
Instructions: Click on a driver in the diagram below to see its associated resources.
SVG
Acknowledgements
This framework was adapted from the Nutrition in Africa’s drylands: A conceptual framework for addressing acute malnutrition.
1. Young H. 2020. Nutrition in Africa’s drylands: A conceptual framework for addressing acute malnutrition. A Feinstein International Center Briefing Paper. Boston: Tufts University.
2. Young H, Osman A, Radday A, Marshak A, Olesambu E, Jenkins N, Souza D, Fracassi P. Improving the way we address acute malnutrition in Africa’s drylands. Field Exchange 2021:14-17.
Persistent Acute Malnutrition
The goal of USAID Nawiri is to reduce persistent global acute malnutrition (GAM) in the Kenya ASAL counties (Isiolo, Marsabit, Samburu, and Turkana). Persistent GAM refers to stubbornly high prevalence of GAM (above 15%) among infants and young children contexts over an extended period despite humanitarian response interventions and/or in the absence of acute shocks.
Inadequate Dietary Intake
Trials of Improved Practices (TIPs) to Improve Complementary Feeding including through the Consumption of Preserved Foods in Isiolo and Marsabit Counties
Using the Trials of Improved Practices (TIPs) methodology, the USAID Nawiri program explored barriers and opportunities, including food preservation, to improve children’s complementary feeding practices.
Labor Market
Through a labor market assessment, USAID Nawiri explored constraints and opportunities for livelihoods, entry points for interventions, and the potential effect on nutrition outcomes.
Social and Behavior Change
This assessment informed the design of social and behavior change (SBC) activities across the USAID Nawiri program in Isiolo and Marsabit.
Maternal, Infant, and Young Child Nutrition
This brief presents learning on maternal, infant, and young child nutrition (MIYCN) in Kenya's arid and semi-arid lands.
How to Increase Demand, Availability, Accessibility & Consumption of Highly Nutritious Foods
The cost of diet studies looked at what nutritious foods are locally available in the market to inform strategies for improving food production, availability, & access.
Desk Study on Understanding the Market Systems Context and its Implications on Acute Malnutrition in Marsabit and Isiolo Counties
This study presents key findings on major food commodities sold and purchased that have the potential to mitigate acute malnutrition, and on the capacity of communities with a high prevalence of acute malnutrition to reach and benefit from food value chains.
Building Resilient Markets in Food Systems
USAID Nawiri explored local food markets to inform approaches to strengthen local and regional food systems to improve households’ ability to access safe, affordable, and nutritious foods year-round.
Adapted Milk Matters Study
This learning brief presents key findings from USAID Nawiri’s participatory analysis to identify appropriate context-specific, community-defined interventions to increase livestock milk production, directly or indirectly, particularly during dry seasons.
Measuring Nutrition Dynamics Over Time to Illuminate Critical Trends and Relationships
This learning brief summarizes key results from the baseline survey component of a longitudinal study examining factors contributing to nutrition outcomes and the influence of these factors over time and across seasons.
CRS Nawiri Adapted Nutrition Graduation Model (AN-GM)
This document highlights findings from an integrated model piloted in Isiolo and later scaled up in both counties.
Methods and Approaches for Extending Dry Season Lactation in Livestock in Samburu and Turkana Counties: Milk Availability Study
Milk has been integral to pastoralist nutrition for centuries, and its importance to child health is well established. USAID Nawiri conducted this study to identify practical approaches to extend dry season lactation in milking animals and increase the availability of milk.
Disease
Participatory Epidemiology Findings
This study explored how communities perceive the causes and changes in malnutrition prevalence by season for children and mothers.
Livestock Service Delivery Assessment
This assessment examined constraints to and opportunities for improved veterinary, fodder, and extension services in Kenya arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs). Constraints to animal health service delivery include high cost of services in vast remote locations.
Adapted Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition (IMAM) Surge Pilot
USAID Nawiri conducted this pilot to look at the expansion of integrated management of acute malnutrition (IMAM)/health surge to be applied in a more holistic way.
Measuring Nutrition Dynamics Over Time to Illuminate Critical Trends and Relationships
This learning brief summarizes key results from the baseline survey component of a longitudinal study examining factors contributing to nutrition outcomes and the influence of these factors over time and across seasons.
Social and Behavior Change
This assessment informed the design of social and behavior change (SBC) activities across the USAID Nawiri program in Isiolo and Marsabit.
Insufficient Household Food Security
Trials of Improved Practices (TIPs) to Improve Complementary Feeding including through the Consumption of Preserved Foods in Isiolo and Marsabit Counties
Using the Trials of Improved Practices (TIPs) methodology, the USAID Nawiri program explored barriers and opportunities, including food preservation, to improve children’s complementary feeding practices.
Methods and Approaches for Extending Dry Season Lactation in Livestock in Samburu and Turkana Counties: Milk Availability Study
Milk has been integral to pastoralist nutrition for centuries, and its importance to child health is well established. USAID Nawiri conducted this study to identify practical approaches to extend dry season lactation in milking animals and increase the availability of milk.
Social and Behavior Change
This assessment informed the design of social and behavior change (SBC) activities across the USAID Nawiri program in Isiolo and Marsabit.
Market Systems Context Including the Role and Potential of the Private Sector; Implications for Addressing Acute Malnutrition in Kenya’s Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs)
This market assessment included a desk review and qualitative research with private sector and other actors. The aim was to improve USAID Nawiri’s understanding of nutritious food value chain dynamics and their functionality for household access.
Pathways for Improved Nutrition Outcomes for the Ultra-Poor
This brief summarizes the learning from USAID Nawiri’s experience in adapting a poverty graduation model to incorporate nutrition-specific and -sensitive approaches and among ultra-poor households.
How to Increase Demand, Availability, Accessibility & Consumption of Highly Nutritious Foods
The cost of diet studies looked at what nutritious foods are locally available in the market to inform strategies for improving food production, availability, & access.
Natural Resource Management (NRM) Desk Study
This desk study explored how land access and natural resource management (NRM) policies, institutions, and relationships are changing in the arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs).
Building Resilient Markets in Food Systems
USAID Nawiri explored local food markets to inform approaches to strengthen local and regional food systems to improve households’ ability to access safe, affordable, and nutritious foods year-round.
Strengthening Market Systems to Shield Community Livelihoods from Adverse Effects of COVID-19
This brief summarizes USAID Nawiri’s activities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic that were strategically integrated and layered to support safe, uninterrupted access to essential health and nutrition services, as well as markets for food, essential goods, and income.
REAP for Nutrition Implementation Guide
USAID Nawiri adapted the BOMA Project’s Rural Entrepreneur Access Program (REAP) in a pilot to improve nutrition outcomes among participant households and their wider communities.
Insufficient Social and Care Environment
Social and Behavior Change
This assessment informed the design of social and behavior change (SBC) activities across the USAID Nawiri program in Isiolo and Marsabit.
NAWIRI Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Implementation Guide
This implementation guide was originally developed to test USAID Nawiri’s approach to adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) in Samburu and Turkana.
Participatory Epidemiology Findings
This study explored how communities perceive the causes and changes in malnutrition prevalence by season for children and mothers.
Measuring Nutrition Dynamics Over Time to Illuminate Critical Trends and Relationships
This learning brief summarizes key results from the baseline survey component of a longitudinal study examining factors contributing to nutrition outcomes and the influence of these factors over time and across seasons.
Gender, Youth and Social Dynamics (GYSD) Analysis
This analysis identified context-specific information on vulnerable communities. It involved a desk review, key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and direct observations.
MIYCN Implementation Guide
This implementation guide was originally developed to test USAID Nawiri’s approach to maternal, infant, and young child nutrition (MIYCN) in Samburu and Turkana.
Gender Gap Analysis
This analysis reviewed information and identified knowledge gaps in mobility, sedentarisation, and changing generational and traditional systems and social safety nets roles.
The Influence of Gender and Social Dynamics on Nutrition Outcomes
Women, men, adolescents, and youth live within complex social systems that dictate their differential roles and responsibilities, vulnerabilities and capacities, relationships, and power dynamics and influence nutrition outcomes across their life.
Maternal, Infant, and Young Child Nutrition
This brief presents learning on maternal, infant, and young child nutrition (MIYCN) in Kenya's arid and semi-arid lands.
Insufficient Health Services and Unhealthy Environment
CRS Nawiri Adapted Nutrition Graduation Model (AN-GM)
This document highlights findings from an integrated model piloted in Isiolo and later scaled up in both counties.
Strengthening Market Systems to Shield Community Livelihoods from Adverse Effects of COVID-19
This brief summarizes USAID Nawiri’s activities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic that were strategically integrated and layered to support safe, uninterrupted access to essential health and nutrition services, as well as markets for food, essential goods, and income.
Health System Drivers of Acute Malnutrition
This study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of nutrition and health systems and degree to which they have mitigated persistent acute malnutrition to date, and to highlight ways to strengthen their effect on nutrition in vulnerable communities.
Water Security for Nutrition
This brief summarizes the constraints and opportunities of water governance and resource management to understand the root causes of water insecurity and how they relate to adverse nutrition outcomes in Samburu and Turkana.
NAWIRI Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Implementation Guide
This implementation guide was originally developed to test USAID Nawiri’s approach to adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) in Samburu and Turkana.
Improving Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (ASRH) for Sustainable Reductions in Persistent Acute Malnutrition in Samburu and Turkana
This brief highlights insights from a study to uncover the complex individual, interpersonal, community, and structural influences that shape adolescent pregnancy and childbearing as a main driver of persistent global acute malnutrition.
Resilient Community Health Systems
Prior to USAID Nawiri, there was limited evidence from Samburu and Turkana on institutional, structural, and local bottlenecks to establishing a more resilient community health system.
Adapted Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition (IMAM) Surge Pilot
USAID Nawiri conducted this pilot to look at the expansion of integrated management of acute malnutrition (IMAM)/health surge to be applied in a more holistic way.
Measuring Nutrition Dynamics Over Time to Illuminate Critical Trends and Relationships
This learning brief summarizes key results from the baseline survey component of a longitudinal study examining factors contributing to nutrition outcomes and the influence of these factors over time and across seasons.
MIYCN Implementation Guide
This implementation guide was originally developed to test USAID Nawiri’s approach to maternal, infant, and young child nutrition (MIYCN) in Samburu and Turkana.
Participatory Epidemiology Findings
This study explored how communities perceive the causes and changes in malnutrition prevalence by season for children and mothers.
Maternal, Infant, and Young Child Nutrition
This brief presents learning on maternal, infant, and young child nutrition (MIYCN) in Kenya's arid and semi-arid lands.
Learning from Health Systems Strengthening for Improved Nutrition Outcomes in Turkana and Samburu Counties
Systems strengthening is a key part of USAID Nawiri’s approach to reducing persistent acute malnutrition. The program works within and alongside key government and USAID-supported platforms to facilitate government ownership.
Conflict
Water Security for Nutrition
This brief summarizes the constraints and opportunities of water governance and resource management to understand the root causes of water insecurity and how they relate to adverse nutrition outcomes in Samburu and Turkana.
Livestock Service Delivery Assessment
This assessment examined constraints to and opportunities for improved veterinary, fodder, and extension services in Kenya arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs). Constraints to animal health service delivery include high cost of services in vast remote locations.
The Influence of Gender and Social Dynamics on Nutrition Outcomes
Women, men, adolescents, and youth live within complex social systems that dictate their differential roles and responsibilities, vulnerabilities and capacities, relationships, and power dynamics and influence nutrition outcomes across their life.
Desk Study on Understanding the Market Systems Context and its Implications on Acute Malnutrition in Marsabit and Isiolo Counties
This study presents key findings on major food commodities sold and purchased that have the potential to mitigate acute malnutrition, and on the capacity of communities with a high prevalence of acute malnutrition to reach and benefit from food value chains.
Measuring Nutrition Dynamics Over Time to Illuminate Critical Trends and Relationships
This learning brief summarizes key results from the baseline survey component of a longitudinal study examining factors contributing to nutrition outcomes and the influence of these factors over time and across seasons.
Unpacking the Conflict, Climate, Environment, and Nutrition Nexus to Catalyze Change for the Sustainable Reduction in Persistent Global Acute Malnutrition in Samburu and Turkana Counties
This brief highlights insights and lessons from USAID Nawiri’s review of the relationship between conflict and persistent global acute malnutrition.
CRS Nawiri Adapted Nutrition Graduation Model (AN-GM)
This document highlights findings from an integrated model piloted in Isiolo and later scaled up in both counties.
Governance and System Strengthening for Nutrition
This learning brief summarizes key findings and insights from an analysis of the role of governance systems and formal institutions in shaping patterns and trends in acute malnutrition.
Livelihood Systems
Participatory Epidemiology Findings
This study explored how communities perceive the causes and changes in malnutrition prevalence by season for children and mothers.
Adapted Milk Matters Study
This learning brief presents key findings from USAID Nawiri’s participatory analysis to identify appropriate context-specific, community-defined interventions to increase livestock milk production, directly or indirectly, particularly during dry seasons.
Pathways for Improved Nutrition Outcomes for the Ultra-Poor
This brief summarizes the learning from USAID Nawiri’s experience in adapting a poverty graduation model to incorporate nutrition-specific and -sensitive approaches and among ultra-poor households.
Social and Behavior Change
This assessment informed the design of social and behavior change (SBC) activities across the USAID Nawiri program in Isiolo and Marsabit.
Measuring Nutrition Dynamics Over Time to Illuminate Critical Trends and Relationships
This learning brief summarizes key results from the baseline survey component of a longitudinal study examining factors contributing to nutrition outcomes and the influence of these factors over time and across seasons.
REAP for Nutrition: Early Learnings and Implications in Samburu and Turkana
Poverty graduation is one of the core pillars of USAID Nawiri’s resilient livelihoods for nutrition security strategy. It uses a time-bound and carefully sequenced package of multi-sector interventions to lift the poorest and most vulnerable households out of poverty.
Gender Gap Analysis
This analysis reviewed information and identified knowledge gaps in mobility, sedentarisation, and changing generational and traditional systems and social safety nets roles.
CRS Nawiri Adapted Nutrition Graduation Model (AN-GM)
This document highlights findings from an integrated model piloted in Isiolo and later scaled up in both counties.
Strengthening Market Systems to Shield Community Livelihoods from Adverse Effects of COVID-19
This brief summarizes USAID Nawiri’s activities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic that were strategically integrated and layered to support safe, uninterrupted access to essential health and nutrition services, as well as markets for food, essential goods, and income.
Natural Resource Management (NRM) Desk Study
This desk study explored how land access and natural resource management (NRM) policies, institutions, and relationships are changing in the arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs).
Labor Market
Through a labor market assessment, USAID Nawiri explored constraints and opportunities for livelihoods, entry points for interventions, and the potential effect on nutrition outcomes.
REAP for Nutrition Implementation Guide
USAID Nawiri adapted the BOMA Project’s Rural Entrepreneur Access Program (REAP) in a pilot to improve nutrition outcomes among participant households and their wider communities.
Livelihoods Systems in Isiolo and Marsabit
This desk review identified evidence gaps that could be filled by collecting primary data. Its objective was to review knowledge on the role of livelihood systems in the underlying causes of malnutrition in the region.
Unpacking the Conflict, Climate, Environment, and Nutrition Nexus to Catalyze Change for the Sustainable Reduction in Persistent Global Acute Malnutrition in Samburu and Turkana Counties
This brief highlights insights and lessons from USAID Nawiri’s review of the relationship between conflict and persistent global acute malnutrition.
Household Economic Analysis of Samburu and Turkana Counties
During Phase 1 of the program, USAID Nawiri conducted a household economy analysis (HEA) baseline study. HEA is a livelihoods-based framework that enables analysis of the ways different households access the things they need to survive and prosper.
Systems, Formal and Informal Institutions
Participatory Institutional Capacity Assessment (PICA) for the implementation of Multisectoral Nutrition Approaches in Isiolo and Marsabit Counties
USAID Nawiri is working with and through local systems and institutions, enhancing collective capacity to implement sustainable multi-sectoral approaches to reduce acute malnutrition and manage, adapt, and scale up promising approaches in context-informed ways.
Strategic Actor Engagement in Turkana and Samburu Counties
USAID Nawiri continuously questions its assumptions about how and by whom things should be done, and challenges its partners to do the same.
Natural Resource Management (NRM) Desk Study
This desk study explored how land access and natural resource management (NRM) policies, institutions, and relationships are changing in the arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs).
Governance and System Strengthening for Nutrition
This learning brief summarizes key findings and insights from an analysis of the role of governance systems and formal institutions in shaping patterns and trends in acute malnutrition.
Building Resilient Markets in Food Systems
USAID Nawiri explored local food markets to inform approaches to strengthen local and regional food systems to improve households’ ability to access safe, affordable, and nutritious foods year-round.
Isiolo and Marsabit Counties Monitoring and Evaluation Capacity Assessment Tool (MECAT) Baseline Findings
This assessment aimed to understand respective county monitoring and evaluation (M&E) capacities; identify related weaknesses and gaps; and create capacity development plans.
Unpacking the Conflict, Climate, Environment, and Nutrition Nexus to Catalyze Change for the Sustainable Reduction in Persistent Global Acute Malnutrition in Samburu and Turkana Counties
This brief highlights insights and lessons from USAID Nawiri’s review of the relationship between conflict and persistent global acute malnutrition.
Government Sector Nutrition Policies and Strategies
USAID Nawiri conducted a desk review to inform the design of the participatory institutional capacity assessment and program Phase 2. The review explored government sector nutrition policies and strategies from the perspective of sustainably reducing acute malnutrition.
Participatory Epidemiology Findings
This study explored how communities perceive the causes and changes in malnutrition prevalence by season for children and mothers.
Livestock Service Delivery Assessment
This assessment examined constraints to and opportunities for improved veterinary, fodder, and extension services in Kenya arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs). Constraints to animal health service delivery include high cost of services in vast remote locations.
Labor Market
Through a labor market assessment, USAID Nawiri explored constraints and opportunities for livelihoods, entry points for interventions, and the potential effect on nutrition outcomes.
Elevating Community Voices in Turkana and Samburu Counties
Engaging community members and elevating their voices is a priority for USAID Nawiri and has been highlighted as a key to its success. This brief summarizes lessons from the program’s experience engaging stakeholders and communities and how they will be applied going forward.
Social and Behavior Change
This assessment informed the design of social and behavior change (SBC) activities across the USAID Nawiri program in Isiolo and Marsabit.
Water Security for Nutrition
This brief summarizes the constraints and opportunities of water governance and resource management to understand the root causes of water insecurity and how they relate to adverse nutrition outcomes in Samburu and Turkana.
Market Systems Context Including the Role and Potential of the Private Sector; Implications for Addressing Acute Malnutrition in Kenya’s Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs)
This market assessment included a desk review and qualitative research with private sector and other actors. The aim was to improve USAID Nawiri’s understanding of nutritious food value chain dynamics and their functionality for household access.
Health System Drivers of Acute Malnutrition
This study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of nutrition and health systems and degree to which they have mitigated persistent acute malnutrition to date, and to highlight ways to strengthen their effect on nutrition in vulnerable communities.
Improving Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (ASRH) for Sustainable Reductions in Persistent Acute Malnutrition in Samburu and Turkana
This brief highlights insights from a study to uncover the complex individual, interpersonal, community, and structural influences that shape adolescent pregnancy and childbearing as a main driver of persistent global acute malnutrition.
Environment and Seasonality
Malnutrition Hotspot Mapping and Analysis
The study conducted secondary analysis to identify hotspot clusters and seasonality trends of acute malnutrition.
Water Security for Nutrition
This brief summarizes the constraints and opportunities of water governance and resource management to understand the root causes of water insecurity and how they relate to adverse nutrition outcomes in Samburu and Turkana.
Adapted Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition (IMAM) Surge Pilot
USAID Nawiri conducted this pilot to look at the expansion of integrated management of acute malnutrition (IMAM)/health surge to be applied in a more holistic way.
Desk Study on Understanding the Market Systems Context and its Implications on Acute Malnutrition in Marsabit and Isiolo Counties
This study presents key findings on major food commodities sold and purchased that have the potential to mitigate acute malnutrition, and on the capacity of communities with a high prevalence of acute malnutrition to reach and benefit from food value chains.
Natural Resource Management (NRM) Desk Study
This desk study explored how land access and natural resource management (NRM) policies, institutions, and relationships are changing in the arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs).
Measuring Nutrition Dynamics Over Time to Illuminate Critical Trends and Relationships
This learning brief summarizes key results from the baseline survey component of a longitudinal study examining factors contributing to nutrition outcomes and the influence of these factors over time and across seasons.
Gender Gap Analysis
This analysis reviewed information and identified knowledge gaps in mobility, sedentarisation, and changing generational and traditional systems and social safety nets roles.
Unpacking the Conflict, Climate, Environment, and Nutrition Nexus to Catalyze Change for the Sustainable Reduction in Persistent Global Acute Malnutrition in Samburu and Turkana Counties
This brief highlights insights and lessons from USAID Nawiri’s review of the relationship between conflict and persistent global acute malnutrition.
Trials of Improved Practices (TIPs) to Improve Complementary Feeding including through the Consumption of Preserved Foods in Isiolo and Marsabit Counties
Using the Trials of Improved Practices (TIPs) methodology, the USAID Nawiri program explored barriers and opportunities, including food preservation, to improve children’s complementary feeding practices.