Korir Jacob, Gichohi-Wainaina Wanjiku N, Park Oak-Hee, Kwon Sung-Wook, Colwell Malinda J, Oldewage-Theron Wilna
Department of Nutritional Sciences, College of Health and Human Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA.
WorldFish, Jalan Batu Maung, Bayan Lepas 11960, Penang, Malaysia.
Nutrients. 2025 Jan 8;17(2):209. doi: 10.3390/nu17020209.
Malnutrition remains a significant public health issue in Kenya. Multisectoral Nutrition Governance (MNG) is increasingly being acknowledged as a catalyst for enhancing nutrition programming and outcomes. Effective MNG establishes policies, systems, and mechanisms that enable coordinated, adequately funded, and sustainable nutrition actions across sectors; however, its understanding and progress assessment remain inadequate.
This study aimed to qualitatively assess the status of MNG and propose strategies to strengthen MNG mechanisms for improved nutrition actions and outcomes in Kenya. We hypothesized that effective performance across the MNG domains is associated with effective multisectoral nutrition actions and improved nutrition outcomes.
This study used a qualitative design to assess the MNG status over the past 10 years (2012-2023). Nineteen program managers and officers from government and non-governmental institutions implementing nutrition at the national level were included. Data collection was conducted between January and March 2024 through key informant interviews (KIIs). Thematic analysis, guided by both inductive and deductive coding, was carried out using MAXQDA (Maximizing Qualitative Data Analysis) software.
The findings indicate progress in strengthening MNG in the previous decade, though gaps persist. The progress was driven by improved political awareness and commitment, the adoption of nutrition policy and planning frameworks, and improved coordination. Constraints that impede MNG progress include inadequate financing and over-reliance on donor funding, limited translation of commitments to actions, lack of unified monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems and fragmented policies.
Strengthening multisectoral M&E systems that allow timely collection and utilization of data, ensuring sustainable financing for nutrition, enhancing accountability mechanisms and improving coherence across sectors are important for further improvement of MNG.
营养不良仍是肯尼亚一个重大的公共卫生问题。多部门营养治理（MNG）日益被视为加强营养规划和改善营养成果的催化剂。有效的多部门营养治理建立政策、系统和机制，以促成各部门间协调一致、资金充足且可持续的营养行动；然而，对其的理解和进展评估仍显不足。
本研究旨在定性评估多部门营养治理的现状，并提出加强多部门营养治理机制的策略，以改善肯尼亚的营养行动和成果。我们假设，多部门营养治理各领域的有效绩效与有效的多部门营养行动及改善的营养成果相关。
本研究采用定性设计来评估过去10年（2012 - 2023年）的多部门营养治理状况。纳入了19名在国家层面实施营养工作的政府和非政府机构的项目经理及工作人员。2024年1月至3月期间，通过关键 informant访谈（KIIs）收集数据。使用MAXQDA（最大化定性数据分析）软件，在归纳和演绎编码的指导下进行主题分析。
研究结果表明，在过去十年中加强多部门营养治理方面取得了进展，但差距依然存在。进展的推动因素包括政治意识和承诺的提高、营养政策和规划框架的采用以及协调的改善。阻碍多部门营养治理进展的制约因素包括资金不足和过度依赖捐助资金、承诺转化为行动的情况有限、缺乏统一的监测和评估（M&E）系统以及政策碎片化。
加强多部门监测和评估系统，以便及时收集和利用数据，确保营养方面的可持续融资，加强问责机制并提高各部门间的协调性，对于进一步改善多部门营养治理至关重要。
