Pillar 01
Create demand
Shift consumer behaviours towards nutritious foods through mass media campaigns, digital outreach, community activations, cooking demonstrations and practical nutrition messaging.
GAIN programme A1
Transforming food systems to improve diet quality and resilience for the most vulnerable ("A1")
Market-based solutions for better nutrition outcomes
For millions of people, nutritious foods such as vegetables and animal-source foods remain out of reach they are either too expensive, difficult to access, unsafe, or not appealing enough to be part of daily diets.
Through the A1 programme, we aim to fix this. Working across six African countries, the programme uses market-based solutions to strengthen food systems, improve the availability and affordability of nutritious foods, and support families, school children, and workers to access the safe, healthy food they need to thrive.
Funded by
The A1 programme is fully funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Department of Inclusive Green Growth (IGG).
Programme snapshot
At a glance
A1 works to improve access to and consumption of affordable, safe and nutritious foods for low-income consumers across six African countries..
0m / 30.8m
consumers reached out of 30.8m targeted through A1 activities
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people with improved diet quality by 2027
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African countries
2022–2027
Programme duration
0
Budget
Programme objective
Healthier diets for all.
The objective of A1 is to increase access to and consumption of affordable, healthy diets for base of pyramid consumers, while strengthening their resilience to nutritional shocks through market-based solutions by 2027.
By 2027, the programme aims to reach 31 million people through its activities, with 4.5 million people expected to achieve improved diet quality.
Target year: 2027
Base of pyramid consumers
Improve access to affordable, safe and nutritious foods for people who face the greatest barriers to healthy diets, including low-income families, school children and workers.
Affordable healthy diets
Use market-based solutions to improve the availability, affordability and appeal of nutritious foods by working with businesses, vendors, producers and supply-chain actors.
Resilience to shocks
Build stronger food systems that help vulnerable consumers maintain access to nutritious foods during periods of stress, including rising food prices, supply disruptions and reduced household purchasing power.
Programme approach
How the programme works
In all 6 countries, we implement integrated food systems interventions organised around key value chains, drawing on GAIN’s expertise and partnerships to drive change. We aim to improve demand for and access to nutritious foods and strengthen the enabling environment.
We draw on expertise gained from global and cross-cutting activities as well as South-to-South learning.
We draw on expertise gained from global and cross-cutting activities as well as South-to-South learning.
Pillar 02
Improve access
Work with vendors, SMEs, producers and supply-chain actors to make safe, nutritious foods more available, affordable and practical in the places where people live, work and shop.
Pillar 03
Strengthen enabling environments
Support policies, standards, partnerships and regulatory systems that improve food safety, fortification, responsible production and long-term access to healthier diets.
A1 Country programmes
Explore how A1 works across priority value chains in six African countries, combining demand creation, improved market access and enabling environments to deliver measurable nutrition impact.
Select a country on the map or use the tabs to explore each programme focus and activity.
Click a highlighted country
Kenya
Kenya – Vegetables for All
Focus: VegetablesWhere it works
The Vegetables for All project works to increase vegetable consumption among low-income consumers across six counties in Kenya: Nairobi, Kiambu, Machakos, Nakuru, Mombasa, and Kilifi.
Programme aim
The project aims to impact over 1.2 million consumers at the base of the pyramid with improved diets. It operates through three pillars: generating demand for vegetables, improving access to fresh and safe produce, and strengthening the enabling environment.
FoodFiti brand
At the heart of the project is the FoodFiti brand — “fiti” being Kenyan slang for good, fine, and fit. Through mass media campaigns, community cooking demonstrations, and digital outreach, the project repositions vegetables as desirable and affordable.
Last-mile vendors and safe supply
Last-mile vegetable vendors, known as mama mbogas, are central to the model: branded and trained, they bring fresh vegetables directly into low-income neighbourhoods. Safe supply is ensured by connecting vendors to wholesalers sourcing from Good Agricultural Practice-compliant farmers, while cold storage facilities help reduce post-harvest losses and maintain freshness.
Behaviour change and policy
To change perceptions and drive lasting behaviour change, the project combines TV and radio campaigns with consumer activations and targeted digital outreach via Facebook and SMS. A recipe book co-created with the Ministry of Health showcases vegetable variety and new ways of cooking them. At policy level, the project supports food safety legislation at both county and national level, conducts pesticide residue testing, and advocates for greater government investment in food safety.
Mozambique
Mozambique – Animal Source Foods
Focus: Fish & PoultryWhere it works
The Animal Source Foods project works to increase the consumption of fish and poultry among low-income consumers across 51 districts in the Beira and Nacala corridors of Mozambique.
Programme aim
The project aims to impact over 1.4 million consumers at the base of the pyramid with improved diet diversity. It operates through three pillars: making animal source foods more desirable, affordable and accessible, while advocating for policy changes that support the ASF sector.
Demand creation
To shift consumer behaviour, the project runs mass media campaigns on TV and radio, complemented by community-level activities through ProConsumers — including cooking demonstrations, market events, and outreach in schools and churches.
Affordable options and household behaviour
Campaigns highlight affordable options such as dried fish and low-cost chicken cuts, and incorporate gender-sensitive messaging to promote equitable food distribution within households.
Access and last-mile delivery
On the access side, the project focuses on the most affordable ASF options and invests in developing an enhanced last-mile delivery system from aggregation points to retailers. It supports distribution networks by investing in processing, fish drying technology, and cold chain from main distribution centres through to retail.
SME and policy support
SMEs receive grants and technical assistance in management, food safety, and cold chain operations. At policy level, the project works closely with the Government of Mozambique and business and consumer associations to strengthen the enabling environment for the ASF sector, including support for a national poultry master plan.
Ethiopia
Ethiopia – Better Dairy for All, Workforce Nutrition, Fortified Edible Oil
Focus: Dairy, workforce nutrition & fortified oilProgramme aim
The Ethiopia project combines three complementary initiatives to improve the diets of 845,000 low-income consumers: a dairy consumption programme, a workforce nutrition intervention, and a large-scale food fortification programme.
Better Dairy for All
The Better Dairy for All initiative works to increase dairy consumption among low-income consumers in the Amhara region. Through community interactions, mass media, and support to SMEs, cooperatives and retail outlets, the project raises awareness, overcomes cultural barriers to dairy consumption, and improves access to safe and affordable milk — including through innovations such as dairy dispensaries.
Dairy systems support
The project also supports regional government in the development and enforcement of a dairy strategy. This initiative runs until June 2026.
Workforce nutrition
The workforce nutrition initiative operates across large-scale farms and industrial parks in eleven cities, aiming to improve the diets of workers and their families. Working directly with company management, the project diversifies workplace menus in line with national dietary guidelines, trains canteen managers and suppliers on nutritious meal preparation, and provides nutrition education through a peer educator model.
Fortified edible oil
The food fortification initiative focuses on ensuring that edible oil — a dietary staple — is fortified to national standards. While Ethiopia has recently introduced mandatory fortification legislation, challenges remain around imported oil quality and domestic vitamin A premix supply.
Regulatory strengthening
The project addresses these gaps by strengthening regulatory oversight, expanding domestic coverage of vitamin A premix, and training local oil producers on fortification compliance.
Nigeria
Nigeria – ENSAND 2.0
Focus: Vegetables & Fortified RiceProgramme aim
The Nigeria Enhancing Access to Safe and Nutritious Diets project works to improve access to and consumption of vegetables and fortified foods among low-income households in Kaduna, Kano, and Kebbi states, impacting over 202,000 consumers at the base of the pyramid.
Vegetable production
The vegetable initiative supports smallholder farmers to increase vegetable production, view farming as a business, and retain enough produce for household consumption before selling surplus locally.
Farmer training
Farmers are trained on Good Agricultural Practices and Climate-Smart Agriculture, with demonstration plots established to boost production of nutritious vegetables.
Community demand creation
Awareness creation activities at community level — delivered through Civil Society Organisations, compound meetings and cooking demonstrations — encourage farmers and neighbouring households to increase the frequency and variety of vegetables in their diets, generating a spillover effect into surrounding communities.
Fortified rice
The fortified rice initiative develops a sustainable supply chain linking the school feeding programme to local fortified rice producers in Kebbi state, advocating for increased government funding and long-term connections between the state’s fortified rice mill and school feeding structures.
Enabling environment
On the enabling environment side, the project engages government, private sector actors, and farmer associations to ensure ownership and sustainability of both initiatives beyond the project’s lifetime.
Uganda
Uganda – Vegetables for All, Workforce Nutrition
Focus: Vegetables & workforce nutritionProgramme aim
The Uganda project combines two complementary initiatives to improve diets among low-income consumers across eight districts: a vegetables programme and a workforce nutrition intervention, together impacting over 200,000 consumers at the base of the pyramid.
Vegetables for All
The Vegetables for All initiative — adapted from Kenya’s model to the Ugandan context — drives demand for vegetables through TV and radio campaigns paired with community cooking demonstrations, where consumers can taste prepared vegetables and discover the appealing flavours of different varieties.
Fit Food vendor model
To ensure access to fresh and safe produce, last-mile vendors are branded under the Fit Food brand and coached on good handling practices. Vendors are linked to Market Facilitators who aggregate orders, source from farmer producer organisations, and deliver directly to vendors.
Food safety and traceability
This model enables traceability and direct communication with value chain actors on responsible pesticide use and food safety.
Workforce nutrition
The workforce nutrition initiative engages companies — including Dutch-owned businesses — to improve employee diets through menu improvements, nutrition education, health checks, and breastfeeding support.
Political momentum
The initiative benefits from strong political momentum, including a forthcoming MoU with the Office of the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Health.
Benin
Benin – PASIMA
Focus: Vegetables & fortified staplesProgramme aim
The Benin project combines two complementary initiatives to improve diets among low-income consumers: a vegetables programme and a large-scale food fortification initiative, together impacting over 360,000 consumers at the base of the pyramid.
Vegetables for All
The Vegetables for All initiative — adapted from Kenya’s model under the Nanavi brand, “the Amazone of Flavour” — drives demand for vegetables through TV and radio campaigns, recipe sharing, and community demonstrations across Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Seme-Kpodji, Porto-Novo and Bohicon.
Vendor and market facilitator model
Last-mile vendors are branded with Nanavi materials at point of sale and coached on good handling practices, while market facilitators connect farmers to vendors, ensuring timely supply of a wider variety of quality vegetables.
Safe vegetable supply
Vegetables are sourced through farmer networks trained to reduce pesticide use under the SAFEVEG project, promoting safer food for consumers. Business coaches support market facilitators on data collection, quality, and traceability.
Food fortification
The food fortification initiative works to increase access to adequately fortified edible oil, iodised salt, and maize flour — both in local markets and through the school feeding programme.
Regulatory and policy support
The project strengthens the capacity of local producers and the regulatory body ABSSA to monitor fortification quality at import, production, and retail levels. Technical assistance supports maize flour and salt producers in meeting national standards, while policy coordination is advanced through the revival of the National Fortification Alliance and the development of a National Fortification Strategy.
Sustainability
Sustainability is anchored in regulatory enforcement, strengthened market linkages, and the institutionalisation of fortified foods within the national school feeding programme.
A1 programme
A1 Impact across six countries
Explore how A1 works across priority value chains in six African countries, combining demand creation, improved market access and enabling environments to deliver measurable nutrition impact. The programme is fully funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Department of Inclusive Green Growth (IGG).
Kenya
Vegetables for All
Focus: Vegetables
Programme activity
Increases vegetable consumption among low-income consumers across six counties using the FoodFiti brand, mama mboga vendors, safe supply chains and food safety advocacy.
Impact so far
- Access to vegetables improved for 2.6m people
- 3.3m reached through radio/TV
- 1.7m reached through consumer interactions
Mozambique
Animal Source Foods
Focus: Fish & Poultry
Programme activity
Increases fish and poultry consumption across 51 districts through demand creation, improved last-mile delivery, cold chain support and policy engagement.
Impact so far
- 1,322 retail sales points improved with cold chain or dry storage
- Access to animal-source foods improved for over 1m people
- 5.5m reached through radio/TV
- 3.5m starting to shift behaviours towards buying more animal-source foods
Ethiopia
Better Dairy for All, Workforce Nutrition, Fortified Edible Oil
Focus: Dairy & Fortified Oil
Programme activity
Combines dairy, workforce nutrition and edible oil fortification to improve diets among low-income consumers and workers.
Impact so far
- 2.6m reached through radio/TV
- 1.1m reached through consumer interactions
- 310,323 now consume dairy at least twice a week
- Workplace menus improved for 25,742 workers
Nigeria
ENSAND 2.0
Focus: Vegetables & Fortified Rice
Programme activity
Improves access to vegetables and fortified rice among low-income households in Kaduna, Kano and Kebbi.
Impact so far
- 66,806 school children now consume fortified rice at least twice a week
- 20,600 farmers trained in Good Agronomic Practices
- 153,853 families reached with vegetable preparation and consumption messages
Uganda
Vegetables for All, Workforce Nutrition
Focus: Vegetables
Programme activity
Combines vegetable demand creation, last-mile vendor support and workforce nutrition.
Impact so far
- Access to vegetables improved for 793,760 people
- 599,878 reached through radio/TV
- 147,400 reached through consumer interactions
- Workplace menus improved for 9,084 workers
Benin
PASIMA
Focus: Vegetables & Fortified Staples
Programme activity
Combines vegetables and large-scale fortification of salt, edible oil and maize flour.
Impact so far
- 1.2m school children reached with fortified oil
- SMEs supported to fortify maize, salt and edible oil
- Access to vegetables improved for 197,640 people
- 264,556 reached through radio/TV
- 172,550 reached through consumer interactions
Resources
Explore stories and resources showing how A1 and Vegetables for All are helping make nutritious vegetables more desirable, accessible and practical for everyday diets from consumer education to supply chains, vendors and communities.
Watch
Vegetable for Healthier Diets4All
A featured video showing how vegetables can support healthier diets and how programmes like Vegetables for All are working to make them more appealing, accessible and practical for everyday meals.
Read
Consume diverse vegetables for improved nutrition
A practical resource on why diverse vegetables matter for improved diets, health and nutrition outcomes.
Impact story
Jamada Nduga, The Supplier Behind Every Fresh Plate
A Uganda impact story showing how suppliers help connect farmers, vendors and families with safe, fresh vegetables.
Field story
Vegetables for Health and Prosperity
Mary Wamuyu’s journey to nourish her community and strengthen her vegetable business through FoodFiti.
Op-ed
Female market vendors could fix Benin nutrition
An opinion piece on the role female market vendors can play in improving nutrition and food access in Benin.