Bite the Talk - Podcast Series

Episode Notes

Indonesia has more than 17,000 islands, over 280 million people and hundreds of ethnic communities, which gives it one of the most diverse cuisines on earth. Yet more than 95% of Indonesians don't eat enough fruits and vegetables, almost half drink sugar-sweetened beverages every day, and adult obesity keeps rising. Governments have invested in nutrition education for decades, so why haven't diets changed?

In this episode, hosts Mark Gachagua and Stephanie Sargeant ask a different question: instead of how we teach people to eat healthier, what shapes people's relationship with food in the first place?

Guests:

• Dr. Eva Monterrosa is a nutritionist and scientist with more than 15 years of experience in maternal and child nutrition, consumer behaviour and food choice. She helped set up GAIN's consumer demand programme.
• Sutamara (Tama) Noor is Project Coordinator for the Food Culture Alliance and Consumer Demand Generation at GAIN Indonesia. He is a lead author of the policy brief Integrating Food Culture into Indonesia's Food Systems Agenda: The Case for a Cultural Dimensions Approach.

In this episode:

• Why food choice is driven by emotion, social connection and the rhythms of daily life, not just information
• New evidence that cost and availability don't explain Indonesia's low vegetable intake, so the question becomes whether these foods are culturally desirable
• The four cultural dimensions of Indonesian food culture: simplistic abundance, receptiveness, fraternity (gotong royong) and negotiation
• From nasi goreng and mung bean porridge to lalap with sambal: what Indonesian dishes reveal about its food culture
• The NIBS framework (Narratives, Identity, Beliefs, culinary Systems) for building a food culture strategy
• Why the Ministry of Culture and the National Nutrition Agency should work together on food systems
• Using food culture to shape Indonesia's Free Nutritious Meals Program (MBG) and the "Ruang Makan Baru Indonesia" (Indonesia's New Dining Space) concept
• Rapid fire: pupusas, kapurung, morro and horchata

Key takeaway: "Healthy eating becomes easier when it's practised together, not prescribed individually."

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Bite the Talk is a GAIN Podcast Series.
Brought to you by the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN).

🌐 www.gainhealth.org
🎧 Listen on Spotify | Listen on Apple Podcasts

Follow GAIN:
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The opinions expressed by guests in this podcast are their own and do not necessarily represent GAIN's views.

This International Youth Day, Bite the Talk sits down with Aida Eyasu, an Act for Food youth leader from Ethiopia, whose journey into food systems work didn't start in a boardroom — it started in a kitchen, during war.

At just 16 years old, Aida's life was upended by conflict in her region: displacement, the loss of family members and classmates, schools shuttered indefinitely. In the middle of that uncertainty, she found something to hold onto — cooking for her family with whatever ingredients they could find. That small act of care grew into something much bigger: supporting malnourished children in overwhelmed hospitals, volunteering in camps for internally displaced people, helping establish a vegetable garden to improve diets for displaced families, launching a fundraiser for school meals, and building a youth volunteer network of around 40 people. Her work has since taken her to global platforms including UNFSS and the Rockefeller Foundation's Nourishing the Future event.

In this conversation, hosts Mark and Stephanie talk with Aida about:

Aida's story is a reminder that food systems transformation doesn't only happen in policy rooms — sometimes it starts with one person, in one kitchen, choosing to create something out of scarcity.

Bite the Talk is a GAIN Podcast Series.
Brought to you by the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN).

🌐 www.gainhealth.org
🎧 Listen on Spotify | Listen on Apple Podcasts

Follow GAIN:
Twitter/X: @GAINalliance
Facebook: /GAINalliance
Instagram: @gainalliance
LinkedIn: Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition
YouTube: /GAINadm

The opinions expressed by guests in this podcast are their own and do not necessarily represent GAIN's views.

In Episode 32 of Bite the Talk, host Mark Gachagua is joined by two leaders at the heart of Malawi's food systems transformation journey — exploring how policy is being translated into action from the national level all the way down to the district.

Guests

Dr. Andrew Jamali — Director of the National Planning Commission, Malawi. Dr. Jamali is a seasoned socioeconomic development expert with over 22 years of experience in policy, research, and capacity building. He has led major national milestones including Malawi's first national research agenda, and brings deep expertise in food security, climate change, and innovation-led development.

Mrs. Vitowe Batch — Team Leader for the Step Up and TI Malawi projects at GIZ. Vitowe is a dynamic development leader with expertise in nutrition, WASH, and systems strengthening. She works closely with government and communities to translate policy into action and build sustainable, inclusive food systems.

In this episode, we cover:

Bite the Talk is a GAIN Podcast Series.
Brought to you by the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN).

🌐 www.gainhealth.org
🎧 Listen on Spotify | Listen on Apple Podcasts

Follow GAIN:
Twitter/X: @GAINalliance
Facebook: /GAINalliance
Instagram: @gainalliance
LinkedIn: Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition
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The opinions expressed by guests in this podcast are their own and do not necessarily represent GAIN's views.

Looking at Food and Agriculture Through a Systems Lens with Dr. Corinna Hawkes, Director of FAO, Division of Agri- Food Systems and Food Safety

A systems approach is a decision-making framework that shifts focus from individual components—such as farming, processing, or retailing—to the relationships and interconnections between them. Rather than viewing food as a static product, it is seen as a "detective story" with a complex history involving labor, geography, and interrelated systems.

To move beyond a siloed mindset, practitioners must adopt four foundational principles:

Embrace Complexity: Accept that food systems are inherently complex. Working with this reality, rather than against it, leads to more effective and efficient outcomes.

Focus on Relationships: Identify key leverage points within the relationships between people, places, and timeframes (short-term vs. long-term).

See Beyond Your Mandate: Success in one sector (e.g., nutrition) often depends on engagement with another (e.g., trade or energy).

Act Strategically: Target specific subsystems that can catalyze broader, lasting change across the entire landscape.

According to the FAO’s practical guide, moving toward a systems approach requires six fundamental transitions.

Rwanda (Strategic Planning): The PSTA 5 strategy utilized "Systems Governance" by bringing together health, trade, infrastructure, and private sector stakeholders to co-own a single agricultural vision.

Afghanistan (Humanitarian Resilience): In a fragile context, the focus shifted from simple seed distribution to "Systems Doing"—building a private-sector seed system, rehabilitating irrigation, and integrating organic fertilizer and gender-inclusive production.

Efficiency under Constraint: In an era of financial instability and permanent shifts in donor funding, a systems approach reduces duplication and prevents policies from undermining one another.

Global Interconnectedness: Modern crises, such as energy price fluctuations or regional conflicts, prove that the energy system and the food system are profoundly linked.

Future-Proofing: Adopting this lens allows for "foresight," ensuring that decisions made today protect the nutrition and economic outcomes for future generations.

The transition does not require a complete overhaul of existing work. Instead, Dr. Hawkes suggests:

Start where you are: Apply a systems lens to your current projects.

Ask deeper questions: Investigate what might be causing a problem beyond the obvious surface-level factors.

Find Allies: Collaborative problem-solving is the only way to navigate a landscape where no single entity holds all the answers.

7. Resources

https://www.fao.org/food-systems/news/news-detail/transforming-food-and-agriculture-through-a-systems-approach/en

Bite the Talk is a GAIN Podcast Series.
Brought to you by the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN).

🌐 www.gainhealth.org
🎧 Listen on Spotify | Listen on Apple Podcasts

Follow GAIN:
Twitter/X: @GAINalliance
Facebook: /GAINalliance
Instagram: @gainalliance
LinkedIn: Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition
YouTube: /GAINadm

The opinions expressed by guests in this podcast are their own and do not necessarily represent GAIN's views.

This episode of Bite the Talk, hosted by Mark Gachagua, features a deep dive into the Nutrition Futures Initiative (NFI). The initiative is a collaborative effort designed to bridge the gap between social protection systems and actual nutritional outcomes through a process called co-innovation.

While millions of people rely on programs like cash transfers, school meals, and food support, these systems often fail to meet specific nutritional needs. The experts argue that this is often a failure of design—programs are frequently built without being sensitive to local access constraints or the lived realities of the people they serve.

1. Defining Co-Innovation

Innovating Together: It is a mindset that brings diverse stakeholders—from senior government officials to local farmers—together to leverage unconventional viewpoints.

Human-Centered Design (HCD): This approach requires experts to set aside their "dominant logic" and step into the shoes of the beneficiaries.

Open Innovation: Commissioner Mugisha emphasizes moving from "closed" government models to "open" ones that actively seek external ideas to inform internal policies.

2. The Digital Infrastructure

The Innovators Team Platform: NFI is hosted on a digital platform developed by GAIN and Proportion Global, providing a guided space for stakeholders to research, ideate, and solve challenges.

Feedback Loops: The initiative aims to move away from traditional "grievance" mechanisms toward iterative feedback loops where users are treated as equal co-partners.

3. The Scaling Innovation Canvas

Thomas Schuumanns introduced a tool for scaling social protection innovations based on three pillars:

The Innovation: A concept that is proven to be feasible and desired at a small scale.

Future Forecast: A clear long-term mission with a defined roadmap and indicators.

Resources: Having the necessary human, financial, and intellectual capital in place.

Commissioner Mugisha highlighted how Uganda is applying these principles to review national policies for MSMEs and food standards. He noted that by listening to local millers, the government can better understand how to scale industrial fortification of maize so that it actually reaches the most vulnerable populations.

"As an innovator, you be humble, you listen, you never know, there could be helping you to save millions... just by listening." — Commissioner Patrick Mugisha

In a lighter moment of the episode, Mark Gachagua observed that all three guests shared childhood memories connected to corn—from sweet corn with butter in the US to roasted maize with chili and lemon in East Africa. This shared connection underscores the central theme: that the best solutions come from understanding the simple, daily realities of the people we aim to serve.

Bite the Talk is a GAIN Podcast Series.
Brought to you by the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN).

🌐 www.gainhealth.org
🎧 Listen on Spotify | Listen on Apple Podcasts

Follow GAIN:
Twitter/X: @GAINalliance
Facebook: /GAINalliance
Instagram: @gainalliance
LinkedIn: Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition
YouTube: /GAINadm

The opinions expressed by guests in this podcast are their own and do not necessarily represent GAIN's views.

This episode of Bite the Talk, hosted by Mark Gachagua, provides a comprehensive look at the Zero Hunger Private Sector Pledge and its 2025 Accountability Report. The discussion centers on the progress made in 2023 and 2024 to mobilize private sector investments toward ending global hunger and malnutrition.

The State of the Pledge: The Zero Hunger Private Sector Pledge, launched at the 2021 UN Food System Summit, serves as a roadmap for companies to invest in 10 high-impact areas across roughly 90 countries.

Financial Progress: To date, over 100 companies have pledged a total of $800 million, with approximately $440 million already deployed.

Investment Breakdown.

80% of commitments are core business investments rather than charity, proving the business case for food security.

Roughly half of the funding is directed toward on-farm infrastructure (irrigation, productivity), and the other half toward market interventions (cold storage, connecting rural areas).

The Accountability Framework: The episode highlights a rigorous verification process where independent consultants track company spending and outcomes every two years.

The Geographic Gap: Only 3% of deployed funds have reached the highest-priority, low-income countries, as many companies find middle-income markets less risky.

Scaling to Billions: While the pledge has reached millions, the world faces a $514 billion gap to end hunger by 2030.

The Changing Global Context: The guests acknowledge a "grim" global atmosphere where some major financial and insurance institutions are backtracking on sustainability commitments.

Over-Commitment: Despite economic downturns, five companies exceeded their original spending pledges.

Impact Indicators: For the first time, companies reported on actual outcomes, such as a project in Uganda helping farmers improve pumpkin value chains through better seeds and storage.

Leveraging Funds: Dr. Lawrence Haddad points out the extraordinary 500-to-1 return on the pledge's operating budget, having generated $151 million in incremental commitments from just $300,000 in administrative costs. 

The episode concludes with a call for a more resilient development paradigm that relies less on dwindling foreign aid and more on blended finance, government regulation, and a thriving African private sector.

Bite the Talk is a GAIN Podcast Series.
Brought to you by the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN).

🌐 www.gainhealth.org
🎧 Listen on Spotify | Listen on Apple Podcasts

Follow GAIN:
Twitter/X: @GAINalliance
Facebook: /GAINalliance
Instagram: @gainalliance
LinkedIn: Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition
YouTube: /GAINadm

The opinions expressed by guests in this podcast are their own and do not necessarily represent GAIN's views.

In this episode of Bite the Talk, host Mark Gachagua and GAIN Uganda Country Director Damali Sali explore the "Ugandan Paradox"—why an agricultural powerhouse known as the "Pearl of Africa" still struggles with high malnutrition rates. Damali argues that the root cause is not food scarcity, but "information scarcity" and deep-seated cultural habits, such as the overwhelming dominance of the staple food Matoke, which often crowds out more nutritious options.

The conversation unpacks the specific challenges facing different demographics, from corporate mothers targeted by formula marketing to market vendors who lack the time to breastfeed3333. Ultimately, the episode highlights the need to bridge the gap between high-level government policy and household knowledge to ensure Uganda's agricultural abundance translates into better health for its people

Bite the Talk is a GAIN Podcast Series.
Brought to you by the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN).

🌐 www.gainhealth.org
🎧 Listen on Spotify | Listen on Apple Podcasts

Follow GAIN:
Twitter/X: @GAINalliance
Facebook: /GAINalliance
Instagram: @gainalliance
LinkedIn: Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition
YouTube: /GAINadm

The opinions expressed by guests in this podcast are their own and do not necessarily represent GAIN's views.

In Episode 27 of "Bite the Talk," host Mark Gachagua is joined by Oliver Camp, the Environment and Food Systems Advocacy Advisor at GAIN. The episode provides a deep dive into the critical intersection of climate change and nutrition, exploring how these two agendas are being integrated across policies, finance, and national strategies.

The "Helicopter View": Ollie begins by outlining the crucial connections between climate and nutrition. He explains that climate change impacts nutrition in numerous ways, such as reducing crop yields and their nutritional content, causing livestock losses, increasing food spoilage due to higher temperatures, and physically disrupting access to food through climate shocks. Conversely, food production itself contributes to climate change through emissions from agriculture, land clearing, and livestock .

GAIN and the I-CAN Initiative: A significant portion of the discussion focuses on the Initiative on Climate Action and Nutrition (I-CAN), which GAIN helps lead. Ollie explains that I-CAN works to identify "win-win" solutions by assessing how well climate and nutrition are integrated in policies (like NDCs and NAPs), finance (like the GCF and ODA), and private sector behavior . The goal is to encourage greater integration, making climate policies more nutrition-sensitive and nutrition policies more climate-sensitive.

Country Progress and "Win-Wins": While cautious about picking favorites, Ollie notes that many countries are making progress, citing examples like Cambodia and small island states (e.g., Barbados, UAE) for their comprehensive approaches . He emphasizes that aligning these agendas offers significant "win-win" opportunities, such as cutting food loss and waste, which benefits both the environment and food availability .

The Finance Gap: A major challenge identified is the gap in climate finance. Ollie highlights that only a small percentage of climate finance is directed toward food systems and nutrition , despite food systems accounting for about a third of greenhouse gas emissions. He argues for the need to translate high-level strategies into robust, "investable proposals" that speak the language of climate funders and leverage private finance.

Looking Ahead to COP30: The conversation shifts to the upcoming COP30 in Belém, Brazil. Ollie sees opportunities to raise nutrition's visibility through new NDCs, the Brazilian-led "Belém Declaration on Hunger", and the COP Presidency's Action Agenda, which includes a specific objective on nutrition and diets. His key advice for governments is to look for "multiple outcomes" (co-benefits like health, jobs, and nutrition) and to create detailed, investable proposals based on their climate commitments.

Lighter Moments: The episode concludes with a lighter segment where Mark asks Ollie about his favorite childhood snack. Mark shares his love for roasted maize with chili and lemon , while Ollie admits to being a "proper British boy" who eats porridge daily but has a weakness for roasted, salted cashew nuts.

Parting Shot: Ollie's final message is one of optimism, reiterating that the "win-win opportunities... are too good to miss" and that now is the time for commitment, creativity, and connection to drive action .

Bite the Talk is a GAIN Podcast Series.
Brought to you by the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN).

🌐 www.gainhealth.org
🎧 Listen on Spotify | Listen on Apple Podcasts

Follow GAIN:
Twitter/X: @GAINalliance
Facebook: /GAINalliance
Instagram: @gainalliance
LinkedIn: Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition
YouTube: /GAINadm

The opinions expressed by guests in this podcast are their own and do not necessarily represent GAIN's views.

Bite the Talk Episode 26: The Global Food Systems Dashboard

In this episode, host Mark Gachagua speaks with Dr. Jessica Fanzo (Columbia University) and Dr. Ty Beal (GAIN) about the Global Food Systems Dashboard. They explain it was created to solve the problem of scattered and complex food data by consolidating information from over 40 sources into one user-friendly, visually appealing platform. Described as a "map of your food system from farm to fork," the dashboard provides a comprehensive overview of everything from agricultural production to health, environment, and livelihood outcomes.

The dashboard is a vital tool for a wide range of users, including major organizations like the FAO, governments, and educators. A key feature is the development of subnational dashboards in countries like Kenya, Nigeria, and Pakistan, which provide localized data to inform policy.

Future plans for the dashboard are ambitious and include integrating AI-powered natural language queries, adding climate change projections to anticipate future impacts on food security, and launching more country-specific dashboards. The ultimate goal is to empower decision-makers with the data they need to drive global food systems transformation.

Bite the Talk is a GAIN Podcast Series.
Brought to you by the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN).

🌐 www.gainhealth.org
🎧 Listen on Spotify | Listen on Apple Podcasts

Follow GAIN:
Twitter/X: @GAINalliance
Facebook: /GAINalliance
Instagram: @gainalliance
LinkedIn: Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition
YouTube: /GAINadm

The opinions expressed by guests in this podcast are their own and do not necessarily represent GAIN's views.

In this episode, Faiz Rasool shares Pakistan’s bold steps to reimagine its food systems. From developing a first-of-its-kind national food systems dashboard to making food systems education compulsory in universities, Pakistan is building resilience through innovation and collaboration.

Faiz reflects on the challenges of turning policy into action, the power of cross-sector partnerships, and the importance of data in shaping decisions that affect millions. His journey shows how systemic change is possible when vision meets commitment.

Tune in for insights on how one country is rewriting the future of food security—and what the rest of the world can learn from it.

Bite the Talk is a GAIN Podcast Series.
Brought to you by the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN).

🌐 www.gainhealth.org
🎧 Listen on Spotify | Listen on Apple Podcasts

Follow GAIN:
Twitter/X: @GAINalliance
Facebook: /GAINalliance
Instagram: @gainalliance
LinkedIn: Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition
YouTube: /GAINadm

The opinions expressed by guests in this podcast are their own and do not necessarily represent GAIN's views.