Addressing Nutritional Challenges through Agricultural Extension: A Comprehensive Systematic Review of Nutrition-Sensitive Interventions

The global nutrition crisis, characterized by the triple burden of undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, and obesity-related non-communicable diseases, poses a systemic challenge to human health and sustainable development, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Agricultural extension services (AES), traditionally focused on productivity, are increasingly pivotal in delivering nutrition-sensitive agriculture (NSA) interventions to address these issues. This systematic review synthesizes evidence from 42 studies (2015–2025) to evaluate the effectiveness of NSA through AES, with a focus on dietary diversity, micronutrient status, and food security in LMICs. Key findings highlight the efficacy of nutrition education, biofortification, gender-sensitive strategies, digital innovations, and policy coherence in improving nutritional outcomes. Successful cases—such as Rwanda’s Home Garden Program, India’s Nutrition Gardens, and Uganda’s biofortification efforts—demonstrate AES’s transformative potential when integrated with multisectoral approaches. However, challenges, including resource scarcity, cultural resistance, and fragmented policies, persist, alongside research gaps in the longitudinal impacts and urban-rural dynamics. Recommendations include capacity building, technological scaling, and policy alignment to embed AES within national nutrition frameworks, advancing Sustainable Development Goal 2 (Zero Hunger). This review highlights AES as a critical lever in the agriculture-nutrition nexus, offering scalable strategies to nourish populations sustainably.