A direct nutrition intervention is defined as one that has malnutrition prevention or reduction as at least one of its primary objectives. Such interventions are usually intended to impact on the main immediate and some of the underlying causes of malnutrition, such as inadequate dietary intake and disease (immediate) and care for children and women (underlying).

Studies conducted on the feasibility and cost effectiveness of direct nutritional interventions have led to the identification of a package of highly cost effective interventions, mainly concentrating on the window of opportunity for children (aged from conception to the age of 2), and for maternal under nutrition (Black et al (2008) and World Bank (2009)). These high-return interventions would improve family nutrition practices and supplement foods and micronutrients provided by families, whether through market purchases or through home production, and include:

• Promotion of good nutrition and hygiene practices, such as breastfeeding, complementary feeding for infants beyond six months of age, improved hygiene practices including hand washing, and deworming programmes

• Micronutrient supplementation for young children and their mothers (e.g. periodic Vitamin A supplements and therapeutic zinc supplements for diarrhea management)

•  Provision of micronutrients through food fortification for all (e.g. salt iodization; iron fortification)

• Therapeutic feeding for malnourished children with special foods, including the prevention or treatment for moderate under nutrition and the treatment of severe under nutrition (or severe acute malnutrition) with ready- to-use therapeutic foods (RUTF).