DELIVERING FOR NUTRITION IN SOUTH ASIA: TOWARDS IMPACT AT SCALE – AGENDA – DAY 3
Thursday, December 4, 2025
Time: 9:00-10:15 (Nepal time) | Venue: Bagmati Ballroom
PLENARY V: Research showcase: Regional lessons for achieving nutrition impacts at scale
Zoom Link: Pending
Chair
Presentations
Scaling Youth-Driven AgriFood Market Innovations to Deliver Affordable, Climate-Resilient, and Nutrition-Smart Diets in South Asia
Ismalebbe Mohamed Aathil Safky, Research Fellow, The Open University of Sri Lanka
Urban Governance as a Scalable Tool for Nutrition in South Asian Cities: Lessons from the 2024 HLPE-FSN Urban and Peri-Urban Food Systems Report
Jane Elizabeth Battersby, Associate Professor, University of Cape Town
Scaling Co-Designed SBCC in Social Protection: Comparative Evidence from Pakistan and Bangladesh for Nutrition Impact
Nadia Shah, Health Economist / Postgraduate Programs Research Coordinator, School of Public Health, Dow University of Health Sciences
How Coherent Are Food Policies with the Goal of Healthy Diets? An Analysis from Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh
Stella Nordhagen, Research Lead, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN)
Q&A
Closing Remarks by Chair
Time: 10:15-10:30 (Nepal time) | Venue: Bagmati Ballroom
Poster Pitches 4: Safeguarding nutrition through the health systems and beyond
Zoom Link: Pending
Beyond Awareness and Services: Identifying the Knowledge–Practice Gap in Family Planning and Way Forward
Priyanka Saha, Consultant – Programme and Knowledge Management, ROSHNI – Centre of Women Collectives led Social Action
Accelerating Childhood Undernutrition Reduction: Implementation & Impact Evaluation of an Integrated Program in Mayurbhanj, Odisha
Mahesh Doddi Srinivas, Head, Public Health, American India Foundation
Unlocking the Hidden Causes of Anemia in Pakistani Women: A Qualitative Exploration of Drivers and Barriers
Farhana Tabassum, Assistant Manager, Institute for Global Health and Development, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
Impact of Rotavirus Vaccine on Malnutrition Among Children: Evidence from National Family Health Survey (NFHS) 2019–2021, India
Ajeet Kumar Singh, Monitoring, Evaluation and Research Officer, John Snow India Private Limited (JSIPL)
Influence of Increased Budget Allocations on Nutritional Status of Under-5 Children – Right2Grow Program Intervention at the Union Level
Mohammad Iqbal Azad, Team Lead – Right2Grow Program Country Consortium, Bangladesh, Max Foundation Bangladesh
The Influence of Maternal Dietary Diversity on Child Dietary Diversity in Nepal: A Structural Equation Modelling Approach
Anita Christopher, Research Analyst, International Food Policy Research Institute
Scaling Postpartum Nutrition in Bangladesh: Phased Integration of IFA into EPI & 7th Day Home Visits Improving Maternal & Neonatal Survival
Mahfuza Anan, Student, Bangladesh Medical College
Identifying Barriers and Facilitators that Nutritionists and Dietitians Experience in Pakistan to Strengthen the Nutrition Workforce
Maira Mubashir, Senior Instructor, Aga Khan University
Macronutrient Intake and Its Relationship with Anthropometry and Body Composition in Adults from Kegalle and Ratnapura, Sri Lanka
Vindya Prabuddhi Chandika Rajakaruna, Lecturer in Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ruhuna
Expansion of PDS: Implications for Poverty Reduction and Nutritional Security
Vanshika Pahwa, Research Analyst – I, International Food Policy Research Institute
Time: 10:30-11:00 (Nepal time)
Tea Break
Time: 11:00-12:30 (Nepal time) | Venue: Naxal Square
Poster Viewing
Time: 12:30-13:30 (Nepal time) | Venue: TBC
Lunch
Parallel Thematic Sessions
Time: 13:30-15:00 (Nepal time) | Venue: Bagmati Ballroom
Thematic Session 5a: Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture: Pathways to More Nutritious Food Systems
Zoom Link: Pending
Co-Chairs
Opening remarks by co-chairs
Oral Presentations
Crop Diversification with Nutrition Training Boosts Food Security, Income, Sustainability, and Agrifood Transformation in Rural Bangladesh
Md. Saiful Islam, Senior Research Associate, International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT)
Gender, Nutrition-Sensitive Agricultural Interventions, and Resilience: Evidence from Rural Bangladesh
Mehrab Bakhtiar, Research Fellow, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)
Linking Production Diversity, Commercialization, and Diet Quality: A Multi-Level Food Systems Analysis from South Asia
Mustafa Kamal, Research Associate, International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT)
Impact of Home Gardening Support Provided to Refugees in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh
Pepijn Schreinemachers, World Vegetable Center
From Gardens to Growth: Implementation Research on Nutrition Gardens in Nand Ghars as Integrated Community Nutrition Platforms
Rohini Saran, Head – Impact Verticals, Nand Ghar, Anil Agarwal Foundation, Vedanta Limited
Q&A
Closing remarks by co-chairs
Time: 13:30-15:00 (Nepal time) | Venue: Koshi Hall
Thematic Session 5b: Nourishing Generations: Maternal & Child Nutrition
Zoom Link: Pending
Chair
Naomi Saville, Principal Research Fellow, Institute for Global Health, University College London
Opening remarks by chair
Oral Presentations
Reducing Nutritional Anaemia via Health Education, Supplements, Iron-Rich Diet for Women (19–45 years) in Madhya Pradesh, India
Neeta Shah, Program Director, Centre for Health, Education, Training and Nutrition Awareness (CHETNA)
Mom’s Plate: Community-Based Cooked Meal Support to Improve Maternal Nutrition
Rajni Omprakash Wadhwa, Director – Programs, Plan International (India Chapter)
Feasibility of Implementing Community-Based Maternal Infant and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN) and Primary Health Care (PHC) Package in Bangladesh
Santhia Ireen, Deputy Director – Education and Research, BRAC James P Grant School of Public Health, BRAC University
Evaluation of a School- and Community-Based Intervention to Promote Iodine Consumption and Healthy Eating Practices Among Women and Adolescents
Santosh Kumar Choudhary, Senior Assistant Director, Institute for Global Development
Strengthening ICDS for Maternal Health: Scaling Nutrition and Chronic Disease Interventions for Lactating and Pregnant Mothers in India
Satyanarayan Kumbhakar, Senior Research Associate, Institute of Public Health, Bengaluru
Functional Integration of Nutrition Interventions in Antenatal Package of Services in West Bengal, India – A Roadmap from Pilot to Policy
Sreeparna Ghosh Mukherjee, Program Head – Health & Nutrition, Child In Need Institute
Q&A
Closing remarks by chair
Time: 15:00-15:30 (Nepal time) | Venue: TBD
Tea Break
Parallel Learning Labs
Time: 15:00-16:45 (Nepal time) | Venue: Bagmati Ballroom
Learning Lab 3a: Who is being reached? Advancing coverage measurement of multisectoral nutrition interventions
Zoom link: Pending
Host: International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)
Learning objectives:
- To share findings from recent research studies that aimed to address measurement challenges by improving questionnaires and methodologies for household survey data collection and developing innovative analytical approaches that facilitate data use;
- To share resources and lessons learned that will facilitate the uptake of these tools and methods; and
- To identify common challenges and potential solutions in South Asia to population-based measurement of nutrition intervention coverage across multiple sectors.
No. of participants: Maximum 50
Target Audience: Government actors, development agencies, program implementers, donors, and researchers (stakeholders interested and involved in the nutrition data value chain)
Level: Intermediate (While no prior knowledge is required, it is helpful for the audience to have a basic understanding about multisectoral nutrition interventions, intervention coverage, and household surveys, so they can benefit from the technical presentations and contribute to discussions).
Mode: Hybrid
Venue: Koshi Hall
Side Event 3b: Strengthening Bottom-up Evidence-Based Nutrition Planning: Community Child Profiling and Local-Level Cost Estimation Tools
Host: Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN)
Learning objectives:
- Enable local governments and CSOs to conduct community-led child profiling for tailored nutrition services and bottom-up program planning
- Equip local actors with tools to assess individual and community-level child nutrition status using limited skills and resources.
- Strengthen evidence-based advocacy for resource mobilization and increased nutrition funding at sub-national and national levels.
- Provide local planners with a cost estimation tool to calculate the financial needs for reducing child undernutrition, identify funding gaps, and prioritize nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive interventions.
No. of participants: 30-40
Expected attendees: Mid-level mangers of both government and NGOs/CSOs responsible for local level planning and implementation of nutrition programs.
Level: Intermediate (minimum understanding of program planning and budgeting/financing is preferable)
Mode: In person
Venue: Karnali Hall
Side Event 3c: Education and nutrition: Regional implications from global analysis on interlinkages between education and nutrition
Host: M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF), UNESCO
Zoom Link: Pending
Learning objectives:
This side event highlights education as a critical lever for addressing over- and undernutrition, reducing food insecurity, and promoting sustainable food systems in South Asia. Anchored in the Learn to Eat Well paper—co-published by the Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine—the session explores how education and nutrition reinforce one another, with education improving health literacy, food choices, and lifelong dietary practices. Drawing on global insights and country perspectives from India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, the event will present evidence and actionable strategies linking school-based interventions and nutrition outcomes. By fostering dialogue among researchers, practitioners, and policymakers, the session aims to strengthen understanding of the education–nutrition nexus and catalyze policy and financing commitments to scale integrated, multisectoral solutions for better learning, health, and well-being.
No. of participants: N/A
Target Audience: Academics and researchers, policymakers and government officials, NGOs and civil society organizations, nutrition and education advocates, regional and international development partners
Level: N/A
Mode: Hybrid
Time: 16:45-17:00 (Nepal time)
Room Change
Time: 17:00-17:30 (Nepal time) | Venue: Bagmati Ballroom
Conference Closing
Zoom Link: Pending
Prize Distributions
Co-Host Reflections
Closing Remarks
Our Co-hosts
Our Funders
