NutriShed: Adapting Foodshed Analysis for Nutrition Security Planning
Credit: NutriShed - The NutriShed Team
Description: NutriShed, led by Principal Investigator Richmond Aryeetey from the University of Ghana's School of Public Health, is a 24-month project initiated in April 2023 with a budget of £249,923, focusing on nutrition security planning in Ghana. The project aims to develop a spatially explicit foodshed-level planning approach to improve the flow of affordable nutrition to underserved urban populations, addressing the alarming statistic that only 15% of people in Sub-Saharan Africa can afford healthy diets. Collaborators include researchers from the University of Sheffield and local experts from the University of Ghana. The NutriShed framework will analyze two contrasting food systems in Ghana—Takoradi, a large urban center, and Asesewa, a smaller town—to identify vulnerabilities in nutrient supplies and enhance resilience in food systems. This innovative approach moves beyond traditional value chains by considering the broader food environment and local foods contributing to nutrient intake, ultimately aiming to inform equitable decision-making for improved nutrition among vulnerable communities.