2026/01/01 by E C Fivian · 1 voice
Environmental Science · Health Professions · Nursing · #Agriculture Sustainability and Environmental Impact #Child Nutrition and Water Access #Food Security and Health in Diverse Populations
paper · doi:10.17037/pubs.04678940
openalex publication_date 2026/01/01 · openalex created_date 2026/02/12 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/01
To address undernutrition, we must reduce inequalities and tackle inequities in interventions. ‘Intersectionality’, which recognises how individuals’ multiple social characteristics intersect to shape unequal opportunities and outcomes, offers an important framework for unpacking these issues. Focusing on rural India, my PhD aimed to advance the quantitative inquiry into the intersectionality of women’s nutrition in the context of nutrition-sensitive agriculture (NSA). First, I conducted a scoping review of the extent, range and nature of quantitative nutrition research engaging with intersectionality. Next, I used datasets from two NSA interventions delivered through women’s selfhelp groups (SHGs), the UPAVAN trial (repeat cross-sectional) and WINGS study (longitudinal), to investigate: 1) intersectional inequalities in agriculture–nutrition linkages; 2) intersectional inclusivity of NSA intervention participation over time; and 3) NSA interventions’ impact on intersectional inequalities in women’s diets. I used moderation and mediation-based methodologies, including a novel application for assessing both simultaneously. Key findings were as follows. First, women’s education and Scheduled Tribe identity intersected to shape agricultural production and nutrition inequalities. However, weak agriculture–nutrition linkages demonstrated the limited potential of agriculture, in the absence of NSA, for addressing intersectional inequalities in nutrition. Second, analyses of WINGS data revealed that SHGs were more inclusive when receiving community-driven agriculture-livelihoods interventions, and particularly among multiply disadvantaged women when interventions incorporated participatory methods to promote nutrition and organisational capacities were strengthened. Still, higher dropout rates among these women underscored challenges in sustaining inclusion. Lastly, UPAVAN interventions reduced several intersectional inequalities in diets, as more disadvantaged women often derived greater dietary benefits from participating. However, women with two disadvantaged characteristics benefited less than those with one, which widened dietary inequalities between these groups. This research demonstrates how intersectionality informed analyses can help identify inequities in interventions and inform the design of more inclusive approaches that ensure no one is left behind.