Nutrition and HIV/AIDS: A Training Manual - Linkages Project
Nutrition and HIV/AIDS: A Training Manual - Linkages Project
Nutrition and HIV/AIDS: A Training Manual - Linkages Project
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Food aid programs targeting households affected by <strong>HIV</strong>/<strong>AIDS</strong> should consider theparticular nutritional needs of people living with <strong>HIV</strong>/<strong>AIDS</strong> in designing rations. Moreinformation on planning food aid programs <strong>and</strong> rations for <strong>HIV</strong>/<strong>AIDS</strong>-affectedpopulations is available in Potential Uses of Food Aid to Support <strong>HIV</strong>/<strong>AIDS</strong> MitigationActivities in Sub-Saharan Africa (FANTA 2000) <strong>and</strong> Module 6 of <strong>HIV</strong>/<strong>AIDS</strong>: A Guide for<strong>Nutrition</strong>, Care <strong>and</strong> Support (FANTA 2001).Agricultural extension <strong>and</strong> introduction of new technologies to reduce laborrequirements can help maintain or improve agricultural productivity in the face ofdeclining labor. For example, a USAID project has developed a drip irrigation systemfor <strong>HIV</strong>/<strong>AIDS</strong>-affected households in Zimbabwe that reduces the labor needed forirrigation by 50 percent. 2 Microfinance can support the maintenance or purchase ofproductive assets, help smooth income flow, <strong>and</strong> enable households to meet keyfood, health care, <strong>and</strong> other basic expenditures. While small loans can enableaffected households to increase income, savings, <strong>and</strong> food access, microfinanceinterventions may need to be designed with special features in the context of<strong>HIV</strong>/<strong>AIDS</strong> to deal with challenges such as ill borrowers. For example, a microfinanceprogram in Zimbabwe instituted a m<strong>and</strong>atory insurance fee to cover the cost ofoutst<strong>and</strong>ing loans from borrowers who die (Horizons 2002).Capacity building of networks <strong>and</strong> community support organizations can help addressthe erosion of institutions, support linkages with services, <strong>and</strong> maintain knowledge.Often networks <strong>and</strong> organizations already exist, although they may be weakened bythe spread of <strong>HIV</strong>/<strong>AIDS</strong> in communities. Capacity building may involve training,strengthening the support that groups offer to <strong>HIV</strong>-affected households, developingcoordination mechanisms between groups <strong>and</strong> services, <strong>and</strong> providing outreach tonew community members <strong>and</strong> population groups.<strong>Nutrition</strong>al care <strong>and</strong> support practitioners should be aware of services to helpstrengthen food access <strong>and</strong> availability <strong>and</strong> when possible link <strong>and</strong> refer clients tothem. Session 5 discusses approaches other than formal services, such as householdstrategies <strong>and</strong> allocation of food expenditures.78
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