Collaborative intersectoral approaches to nutrition in a community on the urban fringe

A case study is presented that describes the 10-year evolution of a local intersectoral project aimed at improving components of a community's food system as an approach to improving nutrition. Aspects of innovation and good contemporary practice in collaborating for health promotion are illustrated. Key initiators of the project were a university public health department, a community health service, and a local government authority. Players brought into the process included the agricultural sector and food retailers. Several strategies have contributed to the success and institutionalization of the project. These include a specific focus on organizational development and capacity building among the key intersectoral partners and the use of formative evaluation methods to hasten the natural phases of collaborative problem solving. The project achieved many policy- and system-level changes. The impact on food consumption patterns is still to be evaluated.