Economic Outcomes of Nutrition-Sensitive Agricultural Intervention to Improve Nutritional Outcomes in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Narrative Review of Literature

Abstract: The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal aims to eliminate hunger and malnutrition by 2030, yet undernutrition remains a significant issue in low- and middle-income countries. Nutrition-specific interventions alone are insufficient, prompting the integration of nutrition-sensitive agriculture (NSA) as a potential solution. This study reviews the cost-effectiveness of NSA interventions, such as biofortification, home gardening, and small-scale horticulture, combined with nutrition education, gender sensitization, or microcredit. Evaluating the economic impact of NSA interventions is complex due to varying outcomes, including health improvements, food security, and women's empowerment. Despite NSA's promise, challenges include a limited number of studies, lack of standardized evaluation methods, and diverse study designs, highlighting the need for better tools to ensure comparability and generalization. Keywords: Economic Evaluation, Cost‐Benefit Analysis, Cost‐Effectiveness Analysis, Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture, Disability Adjusted Life Year JEL Classification Number: I15, Q18