Piloting Community-Led Socio-Technical Innovations for Resilient and Nutrition-Sensitive Food Systems in Rural India

This study examines a socio-technical, nutrition-sensitive pilot in rural Uttarakhand, India, guided by an explicit Theory of Change linking community-led co-design, technological innovation, and institutional embedding to improved nutrition outcomes. Implemented through women’s self-help groups, Anganwadi centers, and Primary Health Centers, the intervention integrated indigenous crops, decentralized food processing, and nutrition services into local food and health systems. Mixed-methods analysis showed improvements in child nutrition and livelihoods, alongside persistent gaps in behavior change, sanitation, and water quality. The findings show how piloting enables adaptive systems learning and how socio-technical transition approaches can strengthen nutrition-sensitive food systems policy in complex rural contexts.