1. Second-round Competitive Small Grant for Student Research Projects on Food Systems for Healthier Diets, Addis Abeba, Ethiopië (2019)

Following the success of the first-round MSc Grant, the Van Dam Foundation made again small grants available for MSc students from local universities in Ethiopia to carry out studies in the area of food systems for healthier diets. Following a call for proposals in August 2018, six promising students were selected. A training workshop was organized from 20-21st February 2019 at The Ethiopian Public Health Institute, that was attended by the grantees, their professors as well as the first round grantees with the aim to introduce the food systems approach and to stimulate second year grantees to learn from the first year grantees. Students carried out their research projects and some of the topic studies comprised effectiveness of selling fruits in pieces or in bulk in improving fruit consumption of high-school students or the influence of the school food environments on the knowledge, attitude, and practice of adolescents. All students finalized their project report and successfully graduated at their local universities. The Grant Scheme was highly appreciated by students and professors and provided students a very good start of their careers. One student has been able to acquire support to take part in a scientific conference in Germany where he was allowed to present his research.

2. Video CGIAR research Program on Agriculture for Nutrion and Health (A4NH)

Liang Cai has created a 2-minute animation to help people understand the flagship program for A4NH, which focuses on food systems through the agri-food value chains impact pathway and the associated policy enabling required to accelerate food system innovation, scaling, and anchoring. The animation is available in the following languages: English, Chinese and Amharic.

He was awarded a substantial grant by Van Dam Voedingsplan in 2019 to make this animation possible. The animation is available through A4NH and CGIAR. Please click on this link to see the animation.

The video has been placed on the website of the CGIAR funded programme on Agriculture for Nutrition and Health, and downloaded frequently. The video was used as the basis of a video in Vietnam, explaining the food system approach in Vietnam as in preparation for the UN Food System Summit in 2021. A picture from the video.