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Objective 01
Healthy diets
Increase access to and consumption of healthy diets among household members in six project countries, particularly women of reproductive age and children.
CARE · GAIN · Dutch MFA · 2022–2026
CASCADE
Connecting people and policies for healthy diets and resilience
CASCADE (CAtalyzing Strengthened policy aCtion for heAlthy Diets and resiliencE) is a multi-country project implemented by a consortium led by CARE with GAIN, both organisations with long-standing experience in addressing malnutrition at the community and household levels and advocating for greater government engagement for sustainable food systems.
CASCADE is a multi-country project led by CARE with GAIN to improve healthy diets and resilience.
It connects people and policies, drawing on both organisations’ experience in addressing malnutrition and advocating for sustainable food systems.
Programme snapshot
CASCADE at a glance
CASCADE connects people and policies to improve access to healthy diets and strengthen resilience to economic and climate-related shocks across six project countries.
CASCADE is a multi-country programme led by CARE with GAIN, working to strengthen food systems, policy action and community resilience.
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project countries working to improve healthy diets and strengthen resilience (Benin, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Uganda)
2022–2026
Programme duration
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Award from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs
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domains of action across policy, services, communities, gender and coordination
CARE + GAIN
implemented by a consortium led by CARE with GAIN
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core objectives: improve access to healthy diets and strengthen resilience to shocks
Programme objectives
Two objectives, six countries, lasting impact
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Objective 02
Resilience
Increase resilience to economic and climate change-related shocks and stresses among household members in the six project countries, particularly women of reproductive age and children.
How we work
CASCADE works across five domains
The five-year, EUR 60 million award from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs is implemented between 2022 and 2026. CASCADE engages in collaborative efforts with government bodies, private service providers and communities around five domains.
Domain 1
Strengthened Policy Implementation
Supporting governments to translate food and nutrition policies into actionable programmes that reach the most vulnerable households.
Domain 2
Supportive Private Service
Engaging businesses and market actors to improve the availability, affordability and quality of nutritious foods at community level.
Domain 3
Strengthened Community Structures
Building local capacity so communities can advocate for and sustain improved food environments and health services.
Domain 4
Women’s Empowerment & Gender Transformation
Addressing gender norms and power dynamics that constrain women’s agency over food choices, income and household nutrition decisions.
Domain 5
Strengthened Coordination among Food System Actors
Fostering multi-stakeholder partnerships that align efforts across government, civil society and the private sector for coherent food system change.
Turning policy commitments into community-level action
CASCADE approach
Turning policy commitments into community-level action
Strengthening policy implementation
CASCADE employs multiple advocacy strategies, from sub-national to national and global level, to strengthen policy implementation of nutrition related policies. It draws on CARE’s and GAIN’s approaches, focusing on social accountability, good governance, health system’s strengthening, multisectoral coordination, resource mobilisation, private sector engagement and climate-resilient agricultural practices.
Mobilising communities for food system change
It also strengthens community structures through community mobilisation and civil society engagement for collective pressure for changes in the food system and collaborates with the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) networks across the six countries to address malnutrition. Gender, social norm transformation and behaviour change are cross cutting strategies, both an essential goal and a means to magnify impact.
Where we work
Where CASCADE works
Explore CASCADE result briefs from six countries, highlighting progress, learning and country-level action to improve healthy diets and strengthen resilience.
6 countries
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Ethiopia
East Africa
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Kenya
East Africa
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Mozambique
Southern Africa
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Nigeria
West Africa
Publications & resources
Featured resources
Explore selected CASCADE blogs, webinars and learning resources highlighting climate resilience, food systems policy, women’s empowerment and healthier diets.
Blog 
Nourishing a Sustainable Future: CASCADE’s strategy to improve resilience in the face of climate change
A CASCADE blog exploring how climate change affects nutrition, food systems and resilience — and how integrated approaches can support healthier, more sustainable futures.
Webinar 
WEBINAR: Taking stock of the implementation of policies and legal frameworks to transform food systems in Kenya
A webinar reviewing progress, policy implementation and legal frameworks shaping food systems transformation in Kenya.
IWD 2025 CASCADE Webinar
This webinar explores the intersection of women’s empowerment and food security, highlighting CASCADE’s approaches to improving nutrition and building resilience for women of reproductive age and children.
Consortium partners
CARE
Lead partner
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands
Donor
Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition
Consortium partner
Contact
For queries out CASCADE, partnership opportunities, programme resources, or country-level activities, contact Milka Shitandi Omukuba on [email protected]
Milka Shitandi Omukuba
Lead, CASCADE