A national nutrition information system (NNIS) is a system for collecting, analysing, storing, and disseminating information to support decision-making relevant to nutrition programmes in a country. A strong NNIS improves decision-making and leads to better nutrition outcomes, making it a key element in the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 2 and other nutrition goals.
Establishing and strengthening NNIS is important; however, global guidance on this topic has not been available. To fill this gap, the WHO-UNICEF Technical Expert Advisory Group on Nutrition Monitoring (TEAM) created the first-ever global guidance on NNIS to outline core concepts of a NNIS.
The NNIS guidance consists of a five-module publication entitled “The Fundamentals Series” covering the following topics:
- Module 1. What is an NNIS?
- Module 2. How does an NNIS support a country’s nutrition programmes?
- Module 3. What is needed to build a useful NNIS?
- Module 4. What are the main attributes of an NNIS?
- Module 5. What are the main types of data used in an NNIS?
Access the Fundamental Series
Technical notes
Technical Notes are designed to help stakeholders understand and address critical issues relevant to the design and operation of National Nutrition Information Systems. They are brief, easy-to-understand documents that are valuable supplements to the five modules in the Fundamentals Series. Additional Technical Notes will be developed as users and experts identify specific topics that can be addressed in this format.
Access the Technical Notes
Assessing a National Nutrition Information System – Guidance on conducting periodic operational assessments to support ongoing quality improvement of an NNIS
Nutrition Data Value Chain – An NNIS essentially functions as a nutrition data value chain to support informed, evidence-based decision-making
Designing Effective Data Visualizations – Tips for selecting and producing effective data visualizations for a wide range of purposes and audiences
The Power of Nutrition Dashboards, Scorecards and Profiles – Tips to support the design of data visuals that facilitate the effective translation and use of NNIS data
Costing a National Nutrition Information System – Key steps that countries can take to identify the resources to develop and implement an effective NNIS
Building a Strong Core Team – The right team can positively influence the governance, management, design, operations, scale-up and sustainability of an NNIS
E-course
An e-course covering the information in The Fundamental Series is also available. The e-course includes four modules: (i) an introduction to NNIS; (ii) enhancing the effectiveness and usefulness of an NNIS; (iii) NNIS data; and (iv) the NNIS data value chain. The e-course will be delivered through Agora, UNICEF’s global hub for learning. Spanish and French translations of the e-course will be available soon
Access the e-courses
E-course module 1 – an introduction to NNIS
E-course module 2 – enhancing the effectiveness and usefulness of an NNIS
E-course module 3 – NNIS data
E-course module 4 – the NNIS data value chain