Building the Evidence Base on the Agricultural Nutrition Nexus: Marshall Islands

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Building the Evidence Base on the Agricultural Nutrition Nexus: Marshall Islands

This report summarises results of a rapid country scan on the agriculture-nutrition nexus in the

Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI). Research included a desk review of accessible policies,

programmes and other documents, published and unpublished, as well as a field mission to RMI

from 11 to 30 December 2017. The mission allowed additional quantitative and qualitative data

gathering with interviews, site visits and a small seminar to debrief interviews, present

preliminary findings and discuss potential follow-up with some stakeholders.

One significant and problematic finding from the rapid scan is that: malnutrition, including child

hunger, stunting, obesity, and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes and other

chronic health problems, appear to be strongly associated with poor diets as well as not enough

cultivation and consumption of traditional and local nutrient dense foods, including a high

dependency on imports making up at least 90% of RMI food supply.

Although the RMI government has undertaken some useful measures in recent years to

address such challenges, this paper suggests there is still an urgent and overarching need for a

whole of government, inter-agency, cross-sectoral response to reduce food import dependency

and associated NCDs in partnership with farmers, fishers, non-governmental organisations

(NGOs), academia, the private sector, investors and donors. A major national transformation is

also essential to encourage national self-sufficiency while improving and expanding local

agriculture production to promote long-term food and nutritional security with climate change

resilience. Such a transformation can build on evidence from scientific research as well as

traditional knowledge and culture. But a full national agriculture census is needed so technical

experts and decision-makers can better understand core agronomic, production, ecological and

socioeconomic data while identifying specific agri-food system sector needs and best target

areas for future investments.

It is hoped this paper can provide some useful evidence and analysis to assist in designing and

implementing a new national capacity strengthening strategy with a clear operational plan that

would measurably improve dietary practices, increase agricultural production and promote new

or improved value chains among more of the population. Such a plan should be considered part

of a long-term systemic investment in food and nutritional security (FNS), as well as national

self-sufficiency for RMI. It could build on existing best practices or promising activities as well as

new initiatives. But any new plan should have specific goals, agreed targets (by RMI’s Cabinet)

and realistic indicators linked to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The plan should

aim to reduce dependence on non-essential, non-nutritious and otherwise unhealthy food

imports, and to measurably increase local food production and consumption. It could help to

bring new job creation, small business development, private sector investment and innovation,

and other income generation opportunities. Broader outcomes (also linked to SDGs) could be

reduced poverty, improved agri-food system quality and safety, better health and nutrition, more

protected ecosystems to address climate change, and strengthened and diversified community

livelihoods, especially for marginalised Outer Islands peoples.