SPRING has just completed a series of baseline national level interviews for the "Pathways to Better Nutrition" (PBN) longitudinal case study in Nepal, which kicks off field work for this two-year study. SPRING is interested in finding out how the Nepali Government prioritizes nutrition interventions and supports the implementation of its national nutrition plan (The Multi-Sector Nutrition Plan (MSNP), 2013-2017), which has set targets and goals for reducing undernutrition. It represents the latest policy that recognizes the importance of developing a strong, multi-sectoral effort to combat malnutrition in the country, and aligns with the policy goals promoted by the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement.
SPRING's baseline interviews focused on prioritization of nutrition activities within the MSNP and how this prioritization affects the financial resources allocated. SPRING will follow up with district level interviews later in 2014, and the case study will continue to follow events through 2016. Thirty-three key informant interviews were conducted with members of the signatory government ministries, as well as staff of development partners, civil society organizations, private sector, and academic institutions.