Distribution of Fortified Yoghurt in Senegal to Decrease Children's Anemia and Improve Milk Supply
Condition: Anemia; Iron-Deficiency
MeSH terms: Anemia; Iron Deficiencies
Study type: Interventional
Phase: Early Phase 1

Summary: 
      The study on dairy value chains that will be conducted in Northern Senegal tests whether a
      health-related product (micro-fortified yogurt) targeted to children can be provided through
      the logistics of an existing value chain, and whether in return this can be leveraged to
      enhance the reliability of producers supply within this value chain. This study is conducted
      with a local milk factory, a recently established social enterprise, striving to produce
      dairy products with the milk collected from several hundred semi-nomadic small-scale
      producers in northern Senegal. This study tests: (i) whether the logistic created to collect
      milk in a remote area can be leveraged to deliver fortified yogurts to infants within its
      suppliers households; (ii) whether such products effectively help improve the nutritional
      status (anemia) of these children; and (iii) whether these health services encourage
      suppliers (and in particular women) to increase their milk delivery to the milk factory.
    

Detailed description: 
      Overall Objective

      The overall study objectives are to better understand how a value chain can be made to be
      nutrition sensitive and ultimately leveraged to improve child nutrition, and to understand
      how certain incentives and services can be offered to actors within the value chain to
      enhance contractual relationships that strengthen the value chain.

      In rural areas of developing countries where health products and services are poorly
      available, well organized agricultural value chains may be used to enhance access to such
      products and services to smallholder farmers. Yet, value chains in such countries face
      important challenges when it comes to enforcing contractual relationships, unless
      incentive-compatible schemes can be designed. As elsewhere, it may however be that
      health-related services themselves can, under certain conditions, serve as an adequate
      incentive towards more sustainable contractual relationships in the value chain.

      Specific Objectives This study will address 2 key objectives.

        1. To test whether an incentive in the form of a daily micronutrient-fortified yogurt for
           children can be used to increase milk supply during dry season and enhance contractual
           relationship between suppliers and agro-processors

        2. To test whether the dairy value chain can be used as an efficient and sustainable means
           to supply essential micronutrients to young children, improve the quality of their diet
           and reduce anemia among young children during the one year duration of the intervention.

      The study will focus on the particular case of a dairy value chain in Senegal, and will
      assess the extent to which micronutrient fortified yogurts can be used as a means to reduce
      the prevalence of anemia among infants and young children, and reinforce contractual
      arrangements between milk suppliers and a recently established social enterprise, the local
      milk factory.
    

Intervention name(s): Micronutrient-fortified yoghurt; BCC
Intervention type(s): Dietary Supplement; Behavioral
Intervention description(s): A iron-fortified yogurt targeted to children 24-59 months old will be provided through the logistics of an existing value chain, to see if in return this can enhance the reliability of producers supply within this value chain.; Behavior Change Campaign (BCC)
A behavior change campaign will be conducted during all the duration of the intervention to increase knowledge about good infant feeding practices and health.
Intervention MeSH terms: Micronutrients; Trace Elements
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Prevention
Keywords: anemia; children; iron-fortified product; value chain