A good egg: An evaluation of a SBCC campaign to increase egg consumption among children in Rwanda

In Rwanda, research shows eggs are the most cost-effective way to help individuals consume adequate high-quality animal source protein (a contributor to stunting reduction), but Rwanda is in the bottom five countries in the world in egg consumption, at just 13 eggs per capita per year. To increase egg intake among children under 5, in 2020 One Acre Fund launched a program to both tackle egg supply in the home (offering poultry on credit) and egg demand (with SBCC; i.e., social behavior change communication through radio, SMS, posters/calendars, and farmer training). After 5 months of implementation, we conducted a midline evaluation that found a modest but statistically significant increase in the frequency of egg consumption per week (0.28 eggs) relative to a comparison group. This increased to 0.52 eggs per week after 6 more months of implementation translating to 73% increase in egg intake relative to the comparison; driven by strong improvements in knowledge and attitudes. One Acre Fund will use these learnings to design and implement targeted SBCC interventions in other One Acre Fund countries.