Process Evaluation of a Nutrition-sensitive Agriculture Program in Rural Areas of Tehran Province, Iran

Objective: A nutrition-sensitive agriculture program was developed and implemented in Iran, to improve the nutrition status of rural and nomadic women. We conducted a process evaluation to show the program implementation status. Methods: This is a mixed-methods cross-sectional study conducted in Tehran Province. We acquired qualitative data from documents, in-depth semi-structured interviews, and focus group discussions. We collected quantitative information through program reports and a cross-sectional study. We performed a thematic content analysis to analyze the qualitative data using MAXQDA software and used SPSS to analyze the quantitative data. Results: Program implementation was adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to the pandemic, context evaluation also recognized other barriers including recourse and structural-cultural constrains. The previous knowledge and experience of rural women and their readiness to accept the program were some facilitators of the program implementation. Based on the cross-sectional study results, about 21% and 23.8 % of women definitely received both trainings (nutrition and vegetable gardening) and vegetables seeds respectively. Conclusions: Our results provide evidence for policymakers and planners that could be effective in program redesign or improving the implementation process.