Sharon Friel is a co-principal investigator in the South Asia Food and Nutrition Security Initiative (SAFANSI). SAFANSI was conceived in 2008 and formally commenced in 2010 to address the South Asian Enigma—how chronic malnutrition remains intractable despite high economic growth—by fostering the crosscutting actions that will lead to measurable improvements in food and nutrition security. Together, with DfID and Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), over the last 4 years SAFANSI has been enabling stakeholder platforms that can operationalize cross-sectoral action and enable more effective domestic stewardship of the food and nutrition security agenda. The ultimate objective of SAFANSI has been to increase the commitment of governments and development partners to more effective and integrated food and nutrition-related policies and investments.

The first phase of SAFANSI will end March 31, 2015 and phase 2 is already underway thanks to continued funding and support from DfID, and anticipated funding from the European Commission.