Investigating the Effect of Integrated Nutrition and Agricultural Training on Egg Production and Child Egg Consumption: A Secondary Analysis from the Un Oeuf Trial

Abstract

Background: Nutrition-sensitive agriculture approaches that integrate livestock and human nutrition interventions have shown promise in improving household food production and child nutrition.

Objectives: The aim of this secondary analysis is to examine the impact of the Un Oeuf trial on household egg production and its subsequent effect on child egg consumption, with a particular focus on the role of integrated nutrition and agriculture (INA) training.

Methods: This study used data from the Un Oeuf clustered randomized controlled trial in Burkina Faso, which assigned 18 villages to Full, Partial, or Control groups. In the Full intervention, children received 4 chickens and caregivers attended monthly INA trainings through a behavior change communication (BCC) package. The Partial group received only INA trainings through BCC package, whereas Control received no intervention. With primary outcome of increased egg consumption among children, the study followed 260 households over 9 mo (July 2018-April 2019). Using generalized linear mixed-effect models, this article examines how INA trainings influenced household egg production and if/how egg production influenced child egg consumption.

Results: Egg production was significantly higher in intervention groups. Households in the Full intervention produced 2.5 times more eggs [2.53; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.96, 3.27] than Controls, whereas the Partial group produced 1.4 times significantly more eggs than Controls (1.42; 95% CI: 1.08, 1.88), but less than Full group. In the Partial group, the probability of egg consumption rose with production levels. In the Full group, however, children had ∼90% probability of consuming 4 eggs/wk, regardless of household egg production, underscoring the influence of cultural engagement and BCC in sustaining feeding practices.

Conclusions: Although findings illustrate the important role that INA training and livestock assets play in increasing production, they also underscore the essential role that cultural tailoring and community engagement play in translating improved agricultural production to consumption.

Keywords: agriculture; behavior change; egg consumption; nutrition training; poultry production.