N4D: TRANSFORMING KNOWLEDGE INTO ACTION FOR NUTRITION & DEVELOPMENT

WORK AREAS

N4D works across a broad range of areas, from ‘hot topics’ such as nutrition financing to strengthening nutrition data and advancing a Nexus approach for nutrition. We connect our country work with the global ecosystem and emerging guidance and evidence, in response to the heavy burden of malnutrition and the complexities of poly-crises, including the climate crisis.

1 | Strengthening and integrating national nutrition plans

,N4D puts national multisectoral nutrition plans and priorities at the centre of everything that we do. However, national nutrition plans are not ends in themselves. If they are to be financed and implemented, nutrition priorities need to be integrated into sectoral policies, plans and budgets, such as health, agriculture, climate and social protection, as well as into overall national development plans. Nutrition integration is vital for securing the high-level political commitment that is needed to ensure financing, implementation and accountability.

In Yemen, we are supporting the updating of the national Multisectoral Nutrition Action Plan, integrating a Nexus approach to nutrition. In Ethiopia, we are helping national partners in the operationalisation of a Nexus approach in the context of the Seqota Declaration initiative and the National Food and Nutrition Strategy. In Niger, we are discussing the possibility of supporting the updating of the Plan d´Action Multisectoriel. In Vietnam in 2021, we supported the development of the 10-year National Nutrition Strategy.

Yemen: National Multisectorial Nutrition Action Plan (pdf)

Ethiopia: National Food and
Nutrition Strategy (pdf)

Niger: Plan d’Action Multisectoriel (pdf)

Through our learning work area, we aim to share experiences of what works well in supporting countries to strengthen and integrate their national nutrition plans for the benefit of other countries. Through our advocacy workstream, we support countries to highlight their nutrition priorities and access financing to support their implementation.

2 | Advancing a Nexus approach to nutrition

N4D supports collaborative action with humanitarian, development and peace (HDP) actors, drawing on their comparative advantages and aligning HDP nutrition actions for the same at-risk populations

Key characteristics of a Nexus approach

A HDPN approach to nutrition is guided by wider HDPN approaches such as the OECD DAC Recommendation on the Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus (see pdf download below).

N4D defines a HDPN approach for nutrition as:
“… [when] all humanitarian, development and peace actors draw on their comparative advantages and work in collaboration and coherence with each other, under national leadership, in order to achieve the collective outcome of sustained improvements in nutrition for all people. All stakeholders align with national and sub-national priorities as outlined in one overarching, national and multisectoral nutrition action plan.” 

Key elements of a HDPN approach: 

  • Collective outcomes
    to sustainably reduce needs, risks and vulnerabilities by preventing, preparing and responding to malnutrition.
  • Collaborative and coherent
    ways of working between humanitarian, development and peace-building actors.
  • Drawing on respective comparative advantages; and convergence of HDPN actions on the same at-risk populations.

Key documents

DAC Recommendation on the OECD Legal Instruments Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus (pdf)

Strengthening the Humanitarian-
Development Nexus for Nutrition in Protracted Crises (pdf)

Lessons learned and recommendations from the humanitarian-development nexus for nutrition (pdf)

N4D is supporting local actors to strengthen a Nexus approach in three focal countriescheck out our country learning pages

ETHIOPIA

NIGER

YEMEN

Nutrition financing in protracted crises

N4D presented a discussion paper on “Financing the prevention of malnutrition in protracted crises – a foundation for peace and prosperity’ at the Nutrition for Growth (N4G) Paris Summit in March 2025.

Coordinating technical assistance in protracted crises

N4D works with advocacy groups to accelerate progress in advancing a HDP Nexus approach to nutrition    

Nexus Country Advocacy Working Group

N4D has established a working group consisting of senior nutrition leaders from our three focus countries, plus Afghanistan, to provide a platform for country-led sharing of learning and advocacy.

Humanitarian, Development and Peace-building (HDP) Nexus Working Group

N4D co-chairs the Global Nutrition Cluster (GNC) HDP Nexus Working Group together with a representative from the SUN Movement Convergence Hub. This Working Group provides a space for capturing and sharing learning between countries on efforts to advance a Nexus approach to nutrition. It also provides guidance to the GNC and other technical assistance providers on how they can contribute to promoting a Nexus approach.

3 | Country-led nutrition financing

We are working with national and international partners to support country-led efforts in mobilising nutrition financing that is aligned with national priorities 

Developing country-specific nutrition financing profiles & advocacy support plans

Together with partners from the SDG2 Advocacy Hub and SUN Movement, N4D is supporting the development of country profiles. These will be used to develop advocacy plans for mobilising financing, aligned with national priorities.

N4D @ N4G on country financing

N4D was active at the N4G Summit Paris 2025, participating in two events: Closing nutrition financing gaps through country-specific commitments and Advocacy for country-led nutrition financing.

LEARN MORE

Podcast series on ‘More and better finance for nutrition’

Four podcast mini series

4 | Strengthening Nutrition Information Systems

N4D is unifying humanitarian and development efforts through Nutrition Information Systems (NIS)

Evaluation of NIPN

Review of the National Information Platforms for Nutrition (NIPN) initiative in eight countries, with recommendations for increasing its effectiveness

Review of NIS in fragile states

A study with review of NIS eco-system and how to strengthen NIS in fragile and conflict affected contexts

Unifying humanitarian and development efforts through NIS

N4D is part of the Nutrition Data Partners Group that aims to improve alignment between information systems for emergency preparedness and NIS for development.

5 | Supporting global initatives

N4D works with global initiatives such as the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement to help strengthen their impact and accountability at country level. We connect our country work with the global ecosystem, emerging guidance and evidence, and financing.

SUN Movement

Supporting the development and operationalisation of the global SUN Movement Knowledge Management and Learning strategy

Global Nutrition Report

An independent mid-term review and facilitation of the strategic planning process for the Global Nutrition Report

Nutrition for Growth

Facilitation of the Nutrition for Growth (N4G) Constituency Taskforce