Jody Harris
Biographic Data
| ID | 3997004 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Jody Harris |
| GIVEN NAMES | Jody |
| FAMILY NAME | Harris |
| SIGNATURE | HARRIS J |
| AFFILIATIONS | World Vegetable Center |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-3369-1253 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 24 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 50 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 24 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2013 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 3 |
Policy lessons on fruits and vegetables from the Philippine high-value crops and organic agriculture programs
Low fruit and vegetable consumption is a major dietary risk factor globally, yet many countries, including the Philippines, under-prioritize this sector compared to staple crops. This study analyses the policy context for fruits and vegetables in the Philippines, focusing on the implementation of two key programs of the Department of Agriculture—the High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP) and the National Organic Agriculture Program (NOAP)—t…
Mainstreaming a gender perspective into food system policies for healthy diets in low- and middle-income countries: A policy landscape analysis
BACKGROUND: Globally, gender inequalities and inequities persist in the food system, with women lacking access to productive resources and decision-making roles. Policy can help address these issues, but the extent of gender consideration in policy in low- and middle-income countries remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to document how governments are addressing gender issues in food systems for healthy diets and suggest ways to enhance ge…
Food environments provide availability and physical access to vegetables in urban Benin and Mali
Objective: Vegetables are a key aspect of a healthy diet, but they are under-consumed throughout West Africa, where there is a lack of evidence on food environments. This study aimed to understand the physical availability of vegetables around schools in urban areas of Benin and Mali, as well as describe other aspects of the food environment. Design: The study used neighbourhood surveys of food outlets around schools in marginalised areas in five…
Cultivating choices: A photovoice study exploring lived experiences of food environments for vegetable-rich diets across Fiji's rural–urban gradient
Understanding structural barriers and enablers of food choice (i.e., the processes by which people consider, select, prepare, distribute, and consume food and beverages, influenced by both individual and external drivers) is critical for tackling poor diets in Fiji. This study used Photovoice to explore how Fijians across five communities in diverse physical contexts-from urban Suva to remote Ovalau-experience vegetable food environments. Thirty-…
Whatever we have is what we eat’: How marginalised urban populations in the Philippines and Thailand experienced their food environments, food security and diets through Covid-19
This qualitative cross-country comparative study investigated the lived experience of marginalised urban populations (unemployed, daily wage earners/street vendors, and internal/external migrants) in Manila (Philippines) and Bangkok (Thailand) on food environments, food security and diets during COVID-19. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with individuals (n = 59) in April-May 2022. Thematic analysis revealed loss of income and strict mob…
Cost and affordability of a healthy diet for urban populations in Thailand and the Philippines before and during the Covid-19 pandemic
These results show that the main effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the affordability of healthy diets was through the effect on reduced incomes of the poor rather than through prices. Government relief measures should target low-income households to give them the means to purchase healthy food items
A ‘Right to Nutrition’ in its Social, Legal, and Political Context: How International Human Rights Translate to Zambian Realities
Every country has populations that are affected by malnutrition, and one third of all people in the world are malnourished. Among approaches to addressing malnutrition, the language of human rights is notably present in international nutrition discourse and national policy and covenants, but the conceptualization, implications and utility of human rights for nutrition practice are contested. This empirical research explores how the utility of a ‘…
Equity and expertise in the UN Food Systems Summit
The UN Food Systems Summit is expected to launch bold new actions, solutions and strategies to deliver progress on all 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs), each of which requires a transformation in the way the world produces, consumes and thinks about food. However, the summit preparations have started controversially, with claims of corporate capture by prominent civil society groups, who, alongside the current and two former UN Special Rap…
Determinants of household food security and dietary diversity during the Covid-19 pandemic in Bangladesh
Objectives: The study aimed to determine the associated factors of household food security (HFS) and household dietary diversity (HDD) during the COVID−19 pandemic in Bangladesh. Design: Both online survey and face-to-face interviews were employed in this cross-sectional study. The Household Food Security Scale and Household Dietary Diversity Score were used to access HFS and HDD, respectively. The HDD scores were derived from a 24-h recall of fo…
Food politics and development
Food has become both a pivotal topic in development and a lens through which to integrate and address a range of contemporary global challenges. This review article addresses in particular the interrelationship between food and sustainable, equitable development, arguing that this is fundamentally political. We offer a set of approaches to understanding food politics, each underlain by broader theoretical traditions in power analysis, focused res…
Advocacy coalitions and the transfer of nutrition policy to Zambia
Stunted growth in children and multisectoral action to address it are dominant ideas in the international nutrition community today, and this study finds that these ideas are increasingly evident over time in nutrition policy in Zambia, with stunting largely displacing other framings of nutrition. This study is based on key informant interviews (70 interviews with 61 interviewees), policy document review, and social network mapping, with iterativ…
Power in the Zambian Nutrition Policy Process
This article presents an example of a power analysis in the nutrition policy process in Zambia, using the ‘power cube’ framework. Here, nutrition policy priorities were found to have been shaped by a global epistemic community relying on the hidden and invisible power of technical language and knowledge to frame policy options which resonated with their own beliefs about malnutrition. Actors in the Zambian nutrition policy process worked largely …
Glossary: The Political Economy of Food
Introduction: Valuing Different Perspectives on Power in the Food System
In this introductory article, we highlight debates that emerged in the IDS–IPES-Food workshop on the political economy of food as a way of introducing the articles that follow. In exploring how different groups view power in food systems, we conceptualise a ‘mainstream’ narrative emerging from embedded agricultural and economic thinkers and practitioners,and contrast this with a multiplicity of reactions to and critiques of that narrative. In aim…
Evidence-Based Policymaking in the Food–Health Nexus
This article examines the role of evidence in influencing food and nutrition-related public health policy, and starts to chart a way through the political economy of knowledge and evidence within this nexus. We propose an analytical framework for untangling the influence of food industry interests and public health concerns in the policy process, presenting a guiding structure for how an issue might move between contested and uncontested policy s…
The Political Economy of Food
Any analysis of food systems needs to include power as an aspect of political economy, in order to understand how power relations develop over time and how they affect different food system actors.This issue of the IDS Bulletin examines a range of perspectives on power in food systems, and the various active players, relationships, activities, and institutions that play a major role in shaping them. It notes the need for mainstream research and p…
Nutrition-sensitive agricultural interventions, agricultural diversity, food access and child dietary diversity: Evidence from rural Zambia
Changes in the policy environment for infant and young child feeding in Vietnam, Bangladesh, and Ethiopia, and the role of targeted advocacy
Targeted policy advocacy can catalyze change in national nutrition and IYCF policy environments, especially actor commitment, policy guidance, and legislation. Implementation constraints - financing, capacity and commitment of systems, and competing priorities and actors - are essential to address to sustain further progress. The lack of pressing political urgency for nutrition and IYCF, and the uncertain role of international networks in nationa…
Progress in improving provincial plans for nutrition through targeted technical assistance and local advocacy in Vietnam
Vietnam has been decentralizing nutrition planning to provinces, which could help with local relevance and accountability. Assessment in 2009 found a continuing top-down approach, limited human capacity, and difficulty in integrating multiple sectors. Alive and Thrive (A&T) provided targeted assistance and capacity-building for 15 provincial plans for nutrition (PPNs). We aimed to (i) assess PPN content and quality improvements 2009-2014, and (ii…
Measuring the Food Access Dimension of Food Security: A Critical Review and Mapping of Indicators
BACKGROUND: With food security now a top priority for many governments and for the global development community, there is heightened awareness of the need to improve our understanding and measurement of food security. OBJECTIVE: To bring clarity in the assessment of the food access dimension of food security at the household and individual level. METHODS: For the most commonly used indicators, we reviewed their original purpose and construction, …
If They Grow It, Will They Eat and Grow? Evidence from Zambia on Agricultural Diversity and Child Undernutrition
In this article we address a gap in our understanding of how household agricultural production diversity affects the diets and nutrition of young children living in rural farming communities in sub-Saharan Africa. The specific objectives of this article are to assess: (1) the association between household agricultural production diversity and child dietary diversity; and (2) the association between household agricultural production diversity and …
Agriculture and nutrition in India: Mapping evidence to pathways
In India, progress against undernutrition has been slow. Given its importance for income generation, improving diets, care practices, and maternal health, the agriculture sector is widely regarded as playing an important role in accelerating the reduction in undernutrition. This paper comprehensively maps existing evidence along agriculture–nutrition pathways in India and assesses both the quality and coverage of the existing literature. We prese…
Why Worry About the Politics of Childhood Undernutrition
Undernutrition affects over 2 billion people; but most of the global policy focus has been on technical solutions rather than an understanding of nutrition politics. This paper reviews existing literature on nutrition politics and policy. We identify a number of recurring themes surrounding knowledge; politics, and capacities. While the literature on nutrition politics and policy is growing; we demonstrate how there are a number of gaps in our un…
Catherine Hakim, Honey Money: The Power of Erotic Capital
Food politics and development
Food has become both a pivotal topic in development and a lens through which to integrate and address a range of contemporary global challenges. This review article addresses in particular the interrelationship between food and sustainable, equitable development, arguing that this is fundamentally political. We offer a set of approaches to understanding food politics, each underlain by broader theoretical traditions in power analysis, focused res…
Why Worry About the Politics of Childhood Undernutrition
Undernutrition affects over 2 billion people; but most of the global policy focus has been on technical solutions rather than an understanding of nutrition politics. This paper reviews existing literature on nutrition politics and policy. We identify a number of recurring themes surrounding knowledge; politics, and capacities. While the literature on nutrition politics and policy is growing; we demonstrate how there are a number of gaps in our un…
Nutrition-sensitive agricultural interventions, agricultural diversity, food access and child dietary diversity: Evidence from rural Zambia
Advocacy coalitions and the transfer of nutrition policy to Zambia
Stunted growth in children and multisectoral action to address it are dominant ideas in the international nutrition community today, and this study finds that these ideas are increasingly evident over time in nutrition policy in Zambia, with stunting largely displacing other framings of nutrition. This study is based on key informant interviews (70 interviews with 61 interviewees), policy document review, and social network mapping, with iterativ…
Introduction: Valuing Different Perspectives on Power in the Food System
In this introductory article, we highlight debates that emerged in the IDS–IPES-Food workshop on the political economy of food as a way of introducing the articles that follow. In exploring how different groups view power in food systems, we conceptualise a ‘mainstream’ narrative emerging from embedded agricultural and economic thinkers and practitioners,and contrast this with a multiplicity of reactions to and critiques of that narrative. In aim…
Catherine Hakim, Honey Money: The Power of Erotic Capital
Agriculture and nutrition in India: Mapping evidence to pathways
In India, progress against undernutrition has been slow. Given its importance for income generation, improving diets, care practices, and maternal health, the agriculture sector is widely regarded as playing an important role in accelerating the reduction in undernutrition. This paper comprehensively maps existing evidence along agriculture–nutrition pathways in India and assesses both the quality and coverage of the existing literature. We prese…
Why Worry About the Politics of Childhood Undernutrition
Undernutrition affects over 2 billion people; but most of the global policy focus has been on technical solutions rather than an understanding of nutrition politics. This paper reviews existing literature on nutrition politics and policy. We identify a number of recurring themes surrounding knowledge; politics, and capacities. While the literature on nutrition politics and policy is growing; we demonstrate how there are a number of gaps in our un…
Measuring the Food Access Dimension of Food Security: A Critical Review and Mapping of Indicators
BACKGROUND: With food security now a top priority for many governments and for the global development community, there is heightened awareness of the need to improve our understanding and measurement of food security. OBJECTIVE: To bring clarity in the assessment of the food access dimension of food security at the household and individual level. METHODS: For the most commonly used indicators, we reviewed their original purpose and construction, …
If They Grow It, Will They Eat and Grow? Evidence from Zambia on Agricultural Diversity and Child Undernutrition
In this article we address a gap in our understanding of how household agricultural production diversity affects the diets and nutrition of young children living in rural farming communities in sub-Saharan Africa. The specific objectives of this article are to assess: (1) the association between household agricultural production diversity and child dietary diversity; and (2) the association between household agricultural production diversity and …
Progress in improving provincial plans for nutrition through targeted technical assistance and local advocacy in Vietnam
Vietnam has been decentralizing nutrition planning to provinces, which could help with local relevance and accountability. Assessment in 2009 found a continuing top-down approach, limited human capacity, and difficulty in integrating multiple sectors. Alive and Thrive (A&T) provided targeted assistance and capacity-building for 15 provincial plans for nutrition (PPNs). We aimed to (i) assess PPN content and quality improvements 2009-2014, and (ii…
Changes in the policy environment for infant and young child feeding in Vietnam, Bangladesh, and Ethiopia, and the role of targeted advocacy
Targeted policy advocacy can catalyze change in national nutrition and IYCF policy environments, especially actor commitment, policy guidance, and legislation. Implementation constraints - financing, capacity and commitment of systems, and competing priorities and actors - are essential to address to sustain further progress. The lack of pressing political urgency for nutrition and IYCF, and the uncertain role of international networks in nationa…
Nutrition-sensitive agricultural interventions, agricultural diversity, food access and child dietary diversity: Evidence from rural Zambia
Advocacy coalitions and the transfer of nutrition policy to Zambia
Stunted growth in children and multisectoral action to address it are dominant ideas in the international nutrition community today, and this study finds that these ideas are increasingly evident over time in nutrition policy in Zambia, with stunting largely displacing other framings of nutrition. This study is based on key informant interviews (70 interviews with 61 interviewees), policy document review, and social network mapping, with iterativ…
Power in the Zambian Nutrition Policy Process
This article presents an example of a power analysis in the nutrition policy process in Zambia, using the ‘power cube’ framework. Here, nutrition policy priorities were found to have been shaped by a global epistemic community relying on the hidden and invisible power of technical language and knowledge to frame policy options which resonated with their own beliefs about malnutrition. Actors in the Zambian nutrition policy process worked largely …
Glossary: The Political Economy of Food
Introduction: Valuing Different Perspectives on Power in the Food System
In this introductory article, we highlight debates that emerged in the IDS–IPES-Food workshop on the political economy of food as a way of introducing the articles that follow. In exploring how different groups view power in food systems, we conceptualise a ‘mainstream’ narrative emerging from embedded agricultural and economic thinkers and practitioners,and contrast this with a multiplicity of reactions to and critiques of that narrative. In aim…
Evidence-Based Policymaking in the Food–Health Nexus
This article examines the role of evidence in influencing food and nutrition-related public health policy, and starts to chart a way through the political economy of knowledge and evidence within this nexus. We propose an analytical framework for untangling the influence of food industry interests and public health concerns in the policy process, presenting a guiding structure for how an issue might move between contested and uncontested policy s…
The Political Economy of Food
Any analysis of food systems needs to include power as an aspect of political economy, in order to understand how power relations develop over time and how they affect different food system actors.This issue of the IDS Bulletin examines a range of perspectives on power in food systems, and the various active players, relationships, activities, and institutions that play a major role in shaping them. It notes the need for mainstream research and p…
Food politics and development
Food has become both a pivotal topic in development and a lens through which to integrate and address a range of contemporary global challenges. This review article addresses in particular the interrelationship between food and sustainable, equitable development, arguing that this is fundamentally political. We offer a set of approaches to understanding food politics, each underlain by broader theoretical traditions in power analysis, focused res…
Equity and expertise in the UN Food Systems Summit
The UN Food Systems Summit is expected to launch bold new actions, solutions and strategies to deliver progress on all 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs), each of which requires a transformation in the way the world produces, consumes and thinks about food. However, the summit preparations have started controversially, with claims of corporate capture by prominent civil society groups, who, alongside the current and two former UN Special Rap…
Determinants of household food security and dietary diversity during the Covid-19 pandemic in Bangladesh
Objectives: The study aimed to determine the associated factors of household food security (HFS) and household dietary diversity (HDD) during the COVID−19 pandemic in Bangladesh. Design: Both online survey and face-to-face interviews were employed in this cross-sectional study. The Household Food Security Scale and Household Dietary Diversity Score were used to access HFS and HDD, respectively. The HDD scores were derived from a 24-h recall of fo…
A ‘Right to Nutrition’ in its Social, Legal, and Political Context: How International Human Rights Translate to Zambian Realities
Every country has populations that are affected by malnutrition, and one third of all people in the world are malnourished. Among approaches to addressing malnutrition, the language of human rights is notably present in international nutrition discourse and national policy and covenants, but the conceptualization, implications and utility of human rights for nutrition practice are contested. This empirical research explores how the utility of a ‘…
Cost and affordability of a healthy diet for urban populations in Thailand and the Philippines before and during the Covid-19 pandemic
These results show that the main effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the affordability of healthy diets was through the effect on reduced incomes of the poor rather than through prices. Government relief measures should target low-income households to give them the means to purchase healthy food items
Whatever we have is what we eat’: How marginalised urban populations in the Philippines and Thailand experienced their food environments, food security and diets through Covid-19
This qualitative cross-country comparative study investigated the lived experience of marginalised urban populations (unemployed, daily wage earners/street vendors, and internal/external migrants) in Manila (Philippines) and Bangkok (Thailand) on food environments, food security and diets during COVID-19. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with individuals (n = 59) in April-May 2022. Thematic analysis revealed loss of income and strict mob…
Policy lessons on fruits and vegetables from the Philippine high-value crops and organic agriculture programs
Low fruit and vegetable consumption is a major dietary risk factor globally, yet many countries, including the Philippines, under-prioritize this sector compared to staple crops. This study analyses the policy context for fruits and vegetables in the Philippines, focusing on the implementation of two key programs of the Department of Agriculture—the High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP) and the National Organic Agriculture Program (NOAP)—t…
Mainstreaming a gender perspective into food system policies for healthy diets in low- and middle-income countries: A policy landscape analysis
BACKGROUND: Globally, gender inequalities and inequities persist in the food system, with women lacking access to productive resources and decision-making roles. Policy can help address these issues, but the extent of gender consideration in policy in low- and middle-income countries remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to document how governments are addressing gender issues in food systems for healthy diets and suggest ways to enhance ge…
Food environments provide availability and physical access to vegetables in urban Benin and Mali
Objective: Vegetables are a key aspect of a healthy diet, but they are under-consumed throughout West Africa, where there is a lack of evidence on food environments. This study aimed to understand the physical availability of vegetables around schools in urban areas of Benin and Mali, as well as describe other aspects of the food environment. Design: The study used neighbourhood surveys of food outlets around schools in marginalised areas in five…
Cultivating choices: A photovoice study exploring lived experiences of food environments for vegetable-rich diets across Fiji's rural–urban gradient
Understanding structural barriers and enablers of food choice (i.e., the processes by which people consider, select, prepare, distribute, and consume food and beverages, influenced by both individual and external drivers) is critical for tackling poor diets in Fiji. This study used Photovoice to explore how Fijians across five communities in diverse physical contexts-from urban Suva to remote Ovalau-experience vegetable food environments. Thirty-…
Economics (17 works) · Political science (15 works) · Geography (14 works) · Food security (13 works) · Agriculture (12 works) · Child Nutrition and Water Access (12 works) · Business (9 works) · Food Security and Health in Diverse Populations (9 works) · Politics (9 works) · Economic growth (8 works)