Taddese Zerfu

Higher altitude stunts children’s physical growth: A systematic review and meta-analysis

From data to decision: How the National Information Platform for Nutrition (NiPN) bridges the research-policy gap in Ethiopia’s nutrition sector

Bridging the gap between research and policy continues to be a major challenge in Ethiopia, particularly in the nutrition sector, where evidence is often fragmented, inconsistently collected, and underutilized. Traditional research-to-policy approaches are frequently misaligned with policymaking needs due to differences in timelines, priorities, and communication practices. While these challenges are not unique to Ethiopia—and indeed, numerous global efforts have attempted to address them with varying degrees of success—examples from other settings offer useful insights for strengthening the interface between evidence and action. In the Ethiopian context, the National Information Platform for Nutrition (NiPN) represents an important shift toward a more responsive, demand-driven model that seeks to improve the relevance and uptake of evidence. Unlike conventional approaches that begin with research questions and proceed directly to data collection, Ethiopia’s NiPN starts with policy question formulation, aligning evidence generation with real-time decision-making priorities. This approach emphasizes embedding research in institutional processes and tailoring outputs to policy needs. The paper explores how NiPN addresses structural barriers to nutrition governance—such as limited institutional capacity, fragmented coordination, and weak knowledge translation. It engages multiple sectors in mapping evidence, analyzing data, and supporting dialogue to inform actionable recommendations. Using examples like the Seqota Declaration and the School Feeding Programme, the paper demonstrates how NiPN has improved policy relevance, intervention targeting, and national ownership. The Ethiopian case offers transferable insights for other countries seeking to institutionalize evidence-informed policymaking in complex, multisectoral domains.

Heavy on plans, light on delivery: The structural failures of Ethiopia’s nutrition policies

Ethiopia’s development ambitions rest on the foundation of a healthy population, yet its nutrition sector remains stalled despite decades of planning and investment. Nearly 38% of children under five are stunted, and food insecurity continues to affect millions. Landmark initiatives like the National Food and Nutrition Policy and the Seqota Declaration demonstrate strong political will—but implementation and scale-up falters due to entrenched structural failures. At the core of this breakdown is an overstretched and under-resourced frontline workforce. Health Extension Workers, while committed, are burdened with wide-ranging responsibilities, and lack the specialized training needed for effective nutrition service delivery. As a result, national strategies often collapse at the community level, where change is most urgently needed. This is further compounded by fragmented coordination. Despite the multisectoral nature of malnutrition—spanning health, agriculture, education, and social protection—ministries and partners frequently work in silos, sending conflicting messages to the same households. Meanwhile, valuable research and data remain disconnected from policy and program implementation, limiting the system’s responsiveness and accountability. The path forward requires more than incremental fixes. Ethiopia needs specialized community nutrition workers to bridge the last-mile gap, a high-level coordination mechanism to align sectoral actions, and agile policies grounded in real-time evidence. Without these structural reforms, the burden of malnutrition will continue to erode the country’s human capital and economic potential. This is not just a health crisis—it is a critical bottleneck to national progress. The time for structural transformation is now.