Multi-sectoral nutrition planning became a USAID priority, representing an ambitious attempt to address malnutrition comprehensively through better understanding the diverse causes of malnutrition. This required a commitment to action from multiple stakeholders—beyond just nutritionists—from a variety of sectors to improve nutrition. The first major international conference to address nutrition, national development and planning, held at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1971 and attended by nutrition experts and senior planning oficials from 55 countries, launched the international multi-sectoral nutrition planning movement.3 USAID provided institutional development grants to MIT, Meharry Medical College and Cornell University to conduct training and inspire creative thinking on how to do multi-sectoral nutrition planning and related strategy development. Further expanding the pool of partners and innovations, USAID also worked closely with faculty at Tulane University on specific aspects of multi-sectoral nutrition,4 and with the Institute of Nutrition of Central America and Panama to broaden its research and training focus to assist member countries with national food and nutrition policy formulation.