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NCT Number: NCT02761876

Singida Nutrition and Agroecology Project

The purpose of this study is to test if a participatory, agroecological peer farmer-led education intervention can be effective at improving legume production, food security, and infant and young child feeding practices in Singida District, Tanzania.

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Key information

Conditions

Malnutrition Nutrition Disorders Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases

Age range

Up to 100 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

About this study

Approximately 40% of under five children in Tanzania are stunted, with higher levels in rural areas. Our inception research in Singida identified five pressing issues faced by smallholder farmers that may contribute to this high rate of stunting. They are (A) hierarchical, or "top down" farmer education, (B) low soil fertility and little knowledge of agroecological solutions, (C) high levels of gender inequality and high workloads for women, (D) food insecurity and low dietary diversity, and (E) sub-optimal infant and young child feeding. Singida Nutrition and Agroecology Project (SNAP) is a randomized effectiveness trial of a participatory, agroecological peer farmer education intervention. Each intervention village will choose 2 mentor farmers, 1 man and 1 woman, who will participate in a field visit to and training by existing mentor farmers in Malawi and a two week long follow-up and refresher trainings in Tanzania integrating agroecology, climate change, nutrition, and gender equality. Mentor farmers will then conduct monthly visits to participating households and support the households in conducting experimentation with agroecological practices and/or new behaviors regarding nutrition and gender equality. Quarterly meetings among mentor farmers and biannual meeting of participating farmers within each village will be held to discuss progress and challenges of peer education and household experimentations.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Are among the most vulnerable, as indicated by food insecurity
  • Have a child who will be <= 1 year old in February 2016
  • Are farmers who have regular access to the same farms/plots (but they do not need to own the land per se)
  • Female headed households are acceptable, so long as not more than half the selected households in the village are female headed (to be able to detect change in gender equity)
  • Willing to stay in study for 3 years, i.e. do not plan to move
  • Interested in experimenting with new farming techniques

Exclusion criteria

  • Refuses to take part

Treatment and study plan

Mentor farmer training (Malawi)

Behavioral

Mentor farmers, 1 man, 1 woman, from each village will participate in a field visit to and training by existing mentor farmers in Malawi. Only the intervention arm of this study will receive mentor farmer training in Malawi, delayed intervention arm will receive mentor farmer training from farmers participating in the initial intervention in Tanzania.

Mentor farmer training (Singida, Tanzania)

Behavioral

Mentor farmers will receive training in Singida, Tanzania on agroecology practices, climate change, nutrition, and gender equality. Intervention villages will receive training in 2016. Delayed intervention villages will receive training in 2019.

Mentor farmer visits and facilitation

Behavioral

Mentor farmers will conduct monthly visits to participating households and support the households in conducting experimentation with agroecological practices and/or new behavior regarding nutrition and gender equality. Quarterly meetings among farmers within each village will be held to discuss progress and challenges of household experimentations. Intervention households will receive support and facilitation for approximately 2 years. Delayed intervention households will receive support and facilitation for approximately 6 months after end line survey.

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in dietary diversity score (mean and proportion of score >4)

    Time frame: Twice a year for the first three years of study (2016, 2017, 2018) and once in the final year (2019)

    As defined by World Health Organization (see Citations), this refers to the number of food groups (out of 7) consumed by children the previous day ."

Secondary outcomes

  1. Change in mean child's height-for-age z-score

    Time frame: Twice a year for the first three years of study (2016, 2017, 2018) and once in the final year (2019)

    According to World Health Organization growth chart

  2. Change in proportion of children who are stunted (HAZ<-2)

    Time frame: Twice a year for the first three years of study (2016, 2017, 2018) and once in the final year (2019)

    According to World Health Organization growth chart

  3. Change in mean child's weight-for-height z-score

    Time frame: Twice a year for the first three years of study (2016, 2017, 2018) and once in the final year (2019)

    According to World Health Organization growth chart

  4. Change in proportion of children who are wasted (WHZ<-2)

    Time frame: Twice a year for the first three years of study (2016, 2017, 2018) and once in the final year (2019)

    According to World Health Organization growth chart

  5. Change in mean Food Insecurity Score

    Time frame: Twice a year for the first three years of study (2016, 2017, 2018) and once in the final year (2019)

    Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS)

  6. Change in proportion of households with severe or moderate food insecurity

    Time frame: Twice a year for the first three years of study (2016, 2017, 2018) and once in the final year (2019)

    Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS)

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Cornell University

Other

Collaborators

  • Action Aid Tanzania
  • Ilonga Agricultural Research Institute
  • Nelson Mandela African Institute of Science and Technology

Registry information

Acronym: SNAP

Important dates

Study start
2016
Primary completion
2019
Study completion
2019
First posted
May 4, 2016
Registry last updated
Oct 8, 2020

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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