There is an increasing realization that equipping Agricultural Extension and Advisory Services (EAS) with nutrition knowledge, competencies, and skills is essential to promote Nutrition Sensitive Agriculture (NSA). However, capacity development efforts need to be strengthened through a systematic approach based on a better understanding of needs, challenges, and interactions at, and between, all institutional levels, from frontline workers to policy makers. In Telangana, this needs assessment was undertaken to identify the learning gaps, needs, and obstacles standing in the way of integrating nutrition-related objectives into agricultural programmes and policies. This assessment, funded by the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations is currently taking place in five countries spread over Asia, Africa and Latin America.
The assessment tried to explore and identify:
• All the opportunities and challenges with regard to integrating nutrition-related objectives into agricultural programmes and policies;
• Capacity needs of EAS providers as well as at organizational and enabling environment levels, which include institutional set-ups, opportunities, and challenges for strengthening capacities to integrate nutrition outcomes in their regular tasks and responsibilities; and
• Knowledge gaps in training materials on NSA