Addressing malnutrition through profesional and inter agency networking: The Uganda Action for Nutrition Society.

This paper considers the role of professional societies and networks in building capacity for improved nutrition through cohesion with relevant national institutions and development partners on issues of food and nutrition policy development, implementation, and monitoring. It draws heavily on practical experience and capacity of professional members of the Uganda Action for Nutrition (UGAN), a corporate agency and society that advocates for adequate nutrition for all in Uganda. UGAN evolved from a United States Agency for International Development (USAID) effort, to a Ugandan owned and managed initiative that provides a forum to advocate for adequate nutrition for all through all channels of policy and leadership. In effect, UGAN activities are geared towards improved productivity and realisation of high quality nutrition advocacy messages and actions to influence positive development outcomes. The outputs provide options for improving the food and nutrition security and livelihoods of vulnerable groups in Africa and other parts of the world through its membership and participation in the activities of the International Union of Nutrition Sciences (IUNS), and partnerships with other development actors. With a membership of diverse professional levels and disciplines, UGAN provides a diversity of well tailored nutrition strategies through multidisciplinary channels that directly and positively affect vulnerable populations, and lead to demand-led development initiatives. This initiative can assist the achievement of a technical–social empowerment balance in alleviating malnutrition. Lessons learned from the transparent and participatory leadership, are pulled out to provide recommendations for achieving positive and sustainable development outcomes through food and nutrition security interventions.