Lestikow-2719.pdf (319.38 kB)
Download fileIntegrating WASH and nutrition in market-based interventions: principles and results from the field
conference contribution
posted on 2018-02-12, 15:11 authored by Greg Lestikow, Jess MacArthur, Raisa Chowdhury, J. Davis, Yi WeiThis paper outlines principles for integrating market-based approaches for improving WASH and
nutrition. It draws on iDE’s experience implementing such programs, and specifically highlights
learnings from iDE Bangladesh’s program Profitable Opportunities for Food Security (PROOFS),
implemented in partnership with ICCO Cooperation, BoP Inc., and Edukans. PROOFS leverages market
forces to increase food security, nutrition, and water and sanitation for smallholder farmers and base-ofpyramid
consumers. The program recently concluded a pilot in which Nutrition Sales Agents added a set
of WASH products to their existing “basket” of nutrition-related goods. The paper highlights principles
for leveraging markets to achieve outcomes in WASH and nutrition. Specific insights involve aligning
sales cycles, managing different sales and distribution channels, and ensuring that product margins
provide profit opportunity for businesses and sales agents. These principles are underscored by
observations from the WASH-Nutrition pilot, the final results of which will be available for the WEDC
Conference.
History
School
- Architecture, Building and Civil Engineering
Research Unit
- Water, Engineering and Development Centre (WEDC)