Nepal—Nutrition Collaborative Research Support Program

Preparing food for children ages 6-24 months takes a lot of mothers’ time, which is often limited by other responsibilities. In low-income neighborhoods of Kathmandu, Nepal, there is a minimal supply of, but high demand for, processed, affordable, and nutritious weaning foods that incorporate multiple food groups.

Tufts University, DAI, and Right Direction Nepal assisted a Kathmandu-based cottage industry that produces foods that complement breastfeeding. The goal: help this cottage industry to produce processed (quick and easy) weaning food for infants and toddlers at higher quality and nutrition, higher volume, and lower cost.

Select Results

• Assisted the cottage industry in auditing its production, packaging, and distribution systems.
• Trained firms in business planning.
• Improved the development of processed, fortified complementary foods.
• Conducted market analysis of complementary foods in the Kathmandu area.