Re-imagining community participation at the district level: Lessons from the DIALHS collaboration.

In South Africa, the value of community participation as one of the central components of a primary health care approach is highlighted in legislation, policy documents and strategic plans. There is widespread acceptance that community participation strengthens community empowerment, disease prevention and access to services. Since 2010, the District Innovation and Action Learning for Health System Development collaboration has co-produced knowledge about how to strengthen district health systems. Nested within this collaboration is a series of engagements seeking to understand and strengthen community participation including a multi-stakeholder health risks and assets mapping activity; ‘Local Action Group’ initiatives; reflective meetings with service colleagues about community participation experiences; and a capacity-development initiative (community participation-related short courses and mentoring). These engagements hold a number of lessons for those interested in enhancing the population orientation of primary health care and the district health system, the first of which is the clear benefit to those interested in community roles and engagement of convening spaces for dialogue. However, it is not easy to generate and sustain these spaces. Through the application of a framework of collective capacity, this chapter aims to shed light on why this is the case, and in so doing, to highlight a second lesson, which is the perhaps unrecognised capacities of certain cadres, particularly environmental health practitioners, in the implementation of community participation. Ultimately, the chapter seeks to stimulate thinking and engagement about the ways in which dialogue and participation can enrich the South African health system

Public Human Resource III : PHR3114

Examination on Public Human Resource : PHR3114, November 201

Unpacking the value of traditional African vegetables for food and nutrition security

Published online: 16 Mar 2021There is a need for agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa to diversify into more nutrient-rich crops to meet the subcontinent’snutritional needs in terms of micronutrients and reduce health risks related to high and rising rates of overweight/obesity.Many traditional African vegetables (TAVs) are nutrient-dense and have much potential to reduce malnutrition. These vegetablescan also provide sustainable incomes to rural, urban and peri-urban farming communities. In addition to their high economicvalues and health benefits, most TAVs are amenable to be grown under low input conditions and even organically. However,TAVs are under-researched and underutilized across the vegetable value chain. This paper provides a detailed account of thevalue of TAVs, focusing on their importance, research and development progress, and future needs. To exploit the potential ofTAVs, there is need for a more concerted research and development efforts including effective characterization of the nutritionand genetic profiles; enhancing adaptability and yield gains; and capacity development in value addition, postharvest handling,processing, marketing, and seed system development. Success in these areas depends on effective collaborations among nationaland international partners including the private seed sector, and government and non-governmental organizations working in theareas of agriculture, nutrition and health