Table of Contents
Who is Dikoda?
Dikoda is a growing network of professionals bringing new ways of thinking to the difficult challenges of food security and nutrition. We are made up of experts in nutrition, food security, urban planning, finance, and data science.
Meet our entire team here.
What does Dikoda do?
Dikoda is a growing network of professionals bringing new ways of thinking to the difficult challenges of food security and nutrition. We are made up of experts in nutrition, food security, urban planning, finance, and data science.
Meet our entire team here.
Who does Dikoda work with?
Dikoda works with national and international development actors in Asia and the Pacific. This means governments, private sector actors, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), including the United Nations, UNICEF, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the World Food Program (WFP).
Check out our portfolio of recent projects here.
What countries is Dikoda in?
We are currently working in seven countries in Asia – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Pakistan.
We also work in 14 Pacific Island countries – the Cook Islands, Fiji, Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
However, as a mobile organization we are always expanding into new countries, as well as setting up new local offices to improve engagement and ensure our work is adapted to local contexts.
How do I contact Dikoda?
To contact Dikoda, simply fill out the form on our ‘Contact Us’ page and we will get back to you shortly.
You can also connect with us on social media. Come say hello on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn!
Can I work for Dikoda?
How is Dikoda a social enterprise?
At Dikoda, we work hard to be a social enterprise that builds communities and strives for a better, more equal world. We focus on increasing opportunities for women and researchers from low- and middle-income countries, and in fact, the majority of our team is currently made up of women from around the world. We also offer scholarships, fund critical research, and support junior researchers in their studies.
Additionally, we are always looking for opportunities to collaborate and offer our expertise on a pro bono basis, working beyond the profit motive to discover dynamic new ideas and solutions to problems that the world needs.
Why is food security in Asia-Pacific so important?
Even before the COVID pandemic hit, nearly 1 billion people in the Asia-Pacific region suffered from food insecurity. Today, this number is growing as continuing urbanization in Asia pushes food systems to their breaking point, and a crisis of obesity and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) threatens to overwhelm the Pacific Islands.
Food security in Asia-Pacific is central to Dikoda because the region is one in which a monumental difference can, and must, be made.
Why does Dikoda focus on urban nutrition?
Traditionally, most food security initiatives focused on rural areas. However, today, rapid urbanization around the world has shifted food insecurity problems to an urban environment. In Asia, for example, a quarter of the urban population is now food insecure, a higher percentage than in rural areas.
As urbanization continues in Asia and elsewhere, Dikoda believes a focus on urban nutrition is central to the future of global food security.
Why is data vital to food security and nutrition?
As policymakers and organizations invest in food security, doing so with inaccurate or unreliable data leads to the creation of inefficient and ineffective initiatives. On the other hand, good data enables decision makers to successfully target efforts, and understand the benefits and costs of their decisions.
This is why Dikoda works on the cutting edge of data creation, constructing the data vital to effective food security initiatives.
Why focus on low- and middle-income countries?
New technological innovations in food systems and food data are providing an historic opportunity for low- and middle-income countries to leapfrog the unsustainable methods of the Western world and lead the way into a more efficient, more sustainable era of food security.
At Dikoda, we believe that to focus on these countries is to focus on the future.
Why are workplace nutrition interventions important?
Studies have shown that malnourished workers get sick and miss work more often, and are less productive when they are at work. In fact, it has been estimated that undernutrition alone costs developing countries 11% of their GDP each year. On the other hand, ensuring optimal nutrition in the workplace can raise productivity and earn businesses a profitable return on their investment.
For Dikoda, workplace nutrition interventions are not only a tool to improve the health of workers, but to improve businesses and economies around the world.
Why does Dikoda focus on nutrition programs in schools?
It is well established that malnourished children often suffer from impaired physical and cognitive development, leading to lowered educational attainment in childhood, and lowered earning potential as adults.
By focusing on nutrition interventions in schools, Dikoda seeks to expand opportunities for future generations and finally break the vicious cycle of malnutrition.
Why is maternal nutrition so important?
Dikoda directs a vigorous focus towards maternal nutrition because it is the foundation of all nutrition. Malnourished mothers produce malnourished children, perpetuating a vicious cycle. In other words, to address maternal malnutrition is to address the root of all malnutrition. Moreover, promoting maternal nutrition promotes the economic success of nations, as well as gender equality in societies.
Where can I learn more about what Dikoda is doing?
Check out our blog, which discusses the latest developments in food security and nutrition from around the world.
And make sure to sign up for our newsletter to receive the latest updates and discussions directly to your inbox!
