SUN Donor Network: Towards a Common Methodology to Track Global Investments in Nutrition

Through the SUN Donor Network, a small group has been working together to develop a common methodology to increase accountability and improve the tracking of external development assistance resources aimed at addressing undernutrition. Improved tracking of donor spending on nutrition is important, not only for accountability purposes, but to measure progress in mobilizing resources and improve the quality of nutrition aid by highlighting gaps and inspiring changes to investments in other sectors in a way that will impact nutrition. A common methodology will also bring greater transparency to the process of tracking investments in nutrition. It is expected that a common accepted methodology that is simple, yet rigorous, will improve the quality and availability of data on nutrition spending. Eventually this common methodology could inspire other constituencies to develop approaches to track their nutrition investments.

Although there is an OECD-DAC sector code for reporting activities that are aimed primarily at direct nutrition interventions (12240), there is currently no common, agreed-upon approach to track resources for “nutrition-sensitive” development assistance. Nutrition-sensitive programming is attempting to do something different for nutrition, includes a nutrition objective or indicator and contributes to nutrition-sensitive outcomes.

This proposed methodology represents an approach for donors to accurately and effectively track external nutrition development assistance.

The SUN Donor Network will review the guidance note on an annual basis to determine if modifications are necessary, based on new evidence or other factors that may necessitate adjustments or additions to the guidance note or methodology itself.

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