Fruits and Vegetables for Sustainable Healthy Diets (FRESH) Initiative

Rapid assessment of FRESH’s engagement and capacity work

Background

Poor diets are a primary cause of malnutrition and the leading cause of disease worldwide. Improving diets, including increasing fruit and vegetable (F&V) intake, can help to address health and nutrition challenges. The extent and nature of poor diets and the low consumption of F&V are complex and require integrated approaches that address not just the consumption but also the availability, accessibility, affordability, and desirability of F&V.

The Fruit and Vegetables for Sustainable Healthy Diets (FRESH) research initiative works to design, test, and scale approaches to sustainably increase F&V intake in Benin, Tanzania, Sri Lanka, and the Philippines using a food systems lens. To achieve this aim, FRESH uses an end-to-end approach, which consists of interconnected activities that leverage opportunities and address constraints related to the demand, supply, food environment, and the enabling environment for F&Vs.

Specifically, on the demand side, FRESH seeks to understand consumers’ dietary patterns and drivers of low levels of F&V intake to identify ways to shift dietary behaviors (Work Package (WP) 1). On the supply side, FRESH works with breeders, farmers, enterprises, and other value chain actors to strengthen access to quality and improved seeds from a diverse range of vegetables, including traditional vegetables (WP 2) and to promote safe and sustainable production systems (WP 3) while also reducing postharvest losses and addressing food safety (WP 4). The initiative also identifies and assesses opportunities to increase accessibility and affordability of F&V (WP 5) through its work on food environments. Lastly, the end-to-end approach consists of a cross-cutting component to support the enabling environment to prioritize F&V in programs and policies. This component includes an impact evaluation of the complete end-to-end approach on vegetable production and F&V intake (currently only in Tanzania and Sri Lanka) and the use of evidence synthesized from the other WPs to inform policy and practice, policy research, capacity sharing, and foresight (WP 6).

As part of the initiative’s Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning, and Impact Assessment (MELIA) framework, the FRESH initiative uses a three-pronged approach to monitor progress towards planned outputs and outcomes across the initiative and its work packages (WP). One of these approaches is to conduct rapid assessments to take the pulse on how the initiative is progressing in its intended engagement strategies. Specifically, the rapid assessment will focus on the initiative’s work on capacity sharing, policy and stakeholder engagement, and the adoption of innovations and technologies.

Responsibilities/deliverables

• Develop quantitative and qualitative study instruments
• Implement online survey and conduct qualitative interviews
• Compilation and Analysis of Results
• Reporting writing and summary slide deck

Timeframe/duration of work

• June to November 2024

Required qualifications

• Master’s or PhD in public health, international development, public policy, nutrition, economics, geography, or other closely related field
• Demonstrated experience conducting mixed methods studies and using NVIVO software
• Experience conducting health and nutrition research in Africa and Asia
• Strong analytical, writing, and research skills.
• Experience working effectively to achieve demanding deadlines.
• Flexibility, adaptability, and the ability to multitask, focus, and work effectively.
• Ability to work collaboratively and independently while establishing strong working relationships.
• High level of attention to detail and accuracy of work.
• Excellent communication skills; proficiency in English

Application criteria:

• For individuals: Please confirm your daily rate when submitting your online application for consideration.
• For Firms: Please submit a financial proposal with your online application, including CV/resume of staff.
• Also upload a sample of a recent journal publication that includes demonstrated experience in health and nutrition research.