Experience of international food and nutrition initiatives for developing countries

Abstract

The contribution of the United Nations University over the past two decades to institutional capacity-building for research and high-level training in the area of food and nutrition for developing countries stands out prominently among international and bilateral agencies. More than 600 researchers and young scientists, accounting for about 44% of all UNU fellowships awarded, have received postgraduate training in this area. Nearly 70% of the fellowships were hosted at UNU-associated institutions located in industrialized and developing countries. Reflecting UNU's interest in promoting cooperation in the South-South context, a little over one-half of the fellowships awarded for postgraduate research and training have been implemented in developing-country institutions. Training provided in developing countries offers the fellows the opportunity to work on problems that are comparable to those in their home countries and also bolster the standing of the training institution as an important regional centre. The UNU effort in capacity-building has been relatively successful in Latin America and Asia, where key regional and national institutions have been involved in the UNU fellowship programme. The results in Africa have been less successful, because the lack of independent university nutrition programmes has made it necessary to depend too much on government research institutions.