Глобальный форум по продовольственной безопасности и питанию (Форум FSN)

If we were designing an agricultural investment programme, the top 5 things we recommend to maximize its impact on nutrition are as follows:

1. Raise awareness to the targeted population on the importance of nutritional diet

This refers to the dissemination of information by nutritional experts or agents regarding the intake of foods that will supply the needed nutrition to the body.  More so, research have consistently proven that women are more than likely to invest in the nutritional intake of her family and are more effective in delivering improved nutritional outcome (WBR, 2007). Therefore, the programme will facilitate the persistent involvement of more women in target communities, while remaining cognizant of their constraints, such as time and income, among others.

2. Promote and foster technological change through support of research and marketing

Research and development in agriculture typically leads to a higher value of crop or agricultural produce. Allowing the market to function unencumbered by output control policies tends to work, achieving lower prices for high value food, therefore increasing the accessibility to  those who need high value food the most.

3. Encourage institutional support/participation

Developing countries often lack the collaboration among agricultural institutions in order to effectively execute projects or programmes. As such, we would advocate for the involvement of appropriate institutions in aiding the processes of agricultural programs at a broad policy level

4. Increase the availability and accessibility of high value food in both rural and urban communities 

Increasing food production through agricultural programmes increases the availability of food; however it does not ensure that the poor and vulnerable have sufficient access to high value food since the quantity of food produced tells little about the nutritional value persons gain from consumption. Having said such, this can be attained by creating “sustainable and stable employment opportunities” that would increase availability of and accessibility to food, especially among rural households (FNSS, 2011).

5. Initiate and manage a crisis response agency

It is accepted public knowledge that developing countries (such as Guyana) are more susceptible to natural disasters, climate change and man made disasters. Often times the agricultural sector suffers the most from such unforeseen calamities and this can lead to a massive decline in food production and consumption. As such, we strongly advocate for the establishment and management of an effective response agency that will specifically address food production and consumption in times of crisis.

Avoir une bonne nutrition, c’est manger une alimentation saine et équilibrée en toute saison et en tout lieu, afin d’avoir une bonne santé mentale et physique.

1. Pour avoir une alimentation saine en toute saison, il faut conserver le surplus 
2. Pour avoir une alimentation équilibrée, il faut diversifier son alimentation
3. Pour avoir une alimentation en tout lieu, il faut désenclaver certaines régions et favoriser la commercialisation des produits agricoles. Il faut donner les moyens à certains groupes vulnérables de pratiquer l’agriculture (femmes, chômeurs, élèves et écoliers)
4. Pour avoir une bonne santé mentale et physique, il faut manger et faire de l’activité physique

Fort de ce qui précède, je réponds aux questions

Si j’étais chargée d’élaborer un programme d’investissements agricoles, les 5 principales mesures à adopter pour en maximiser l’impact sur la nutrition seraient :

1.  filières vivrières : production, transformation, conservation, commercialisation ;
2. Filières produits forestiers non ligneux en lien avec l’agroforesterie
3. Petit élevage et aquaculture
4. Education nutritionnelle : créer et renforcer les départements de nutrition dans les Ministères de l’agriculture. Ces départements s’occuperont de l’éducation nutritionnelle par des émissions à la radio et à la télévision, par la rédaction des brochures sur la bonne alimentation.

Je profite pour vous dire que mon livre intitulé « Guide de nutrition pour les élèves d’Afrique Subsaharienne : notes d’informations pour l’enseignement primaire et secondaire » vient de paraître aux Editions Universitaires Européennes. C’est dans le but de montrer aux jeunes comment avoir une bonne nutrition.

1. Pistes rurales et fonciers

 Dans quels domaines souhaiterez-vous intensifier les recherches pour étayer l’élaboration et la mise en œuvre d'un tel programme, et pourquoi?

• Transformation agroalimentaire, stockage et conservation, semences

 Que peuvent faire nos institutions pour contribuer à ce que les gouvernements des pays s'engagent activement en faveur de vos recommandations, et en garantir la mise en œuvre efficace?

• Allouer 10% du budget national au développement agricole

Adèle Irénée GREMBOMBO

Ingénieur Agronome Nutritionniste

Msc en Nutrition Humaine et Santé Publique

Consultante Indépendante en Nutrition/Sécurité alimentaire

Paris (France)

C’est une bonne initiative que la FAO organise cette discussion pour explorer les lacunes de politiques, pratiques et connaissances liant agriculture et nutrition. Souvent les politiques/décideurs perçoivent et créent une distance entre agriculture et nutrition, en les considérants comme deux thématiques distinctes avec des programmes déconnectés. Cette vision est contraire à la place qu’occupent l’agriculture et la malnutrition dans le monde rural. Surtout, les pays à dominance agricole, l’agriculture est indissociable de la nutrition, une complémentarité sur laquelle se base la vie sociale et économique. La vie est organisée autour de l’agriculture, tout dépend de cette activité (alimentation, santé, cohésion sociale). L’agriculture offre une gamme de possibilités de survie et de connectivité sociale et donc un programme d’investissement agricole doit tenir compte de toutes ces composantes qui sont inter-liées.

Si vous étiez chargé d’élaborer un programme d’investissements agricoles, quels seraient les 5 principales mesures à adopter pour en maximiser l’impact sur la nutrition ?

1.    Foncier agricole et nutrition : Foncier (y compris accès aux ressources communes) et nutrition en milieu agricole. Cette mesure consiste à  - mobiliser des ressources pour la protection du foncier agricole, -analyser la relation entre le titre foncier, la production agricole, et la nutrition de la population.

2.    Développement des filières agricoles et nutritionnelles: Cette mesure consiste à développer des filières agro-nutrition en se basant sur des connaissances locales pour faciliter leurs implantations et aussi favoriser la création des emplois communautaires.  Ces filière doivent s’intéresser à connaitre les valeurs nutritionnelles des aliments locaux, et améliorer les méthodes de conservations pour stabiliser les qualités nutritives et assurer la pérennisation des produits (agricoles et cueillette). Explorer les possibilités de fortifier et renforcer la qualité  des aliments locaux pour répondre aux besoins nutritionnels (micronutriments et calorie) de la population en fonction de l’âge.

3.    Diversité agricole et nutrition : Cette mesure consiste à diversifier les cultures locales en tenant compte des conditions climatiques, écologiques et des valeurs culturelles. Souvent, les produits cultivés sont monotones mais par peur et parfois ignorance, personne n’ose tester des nouveaux produits.  Explorer des nouvelles cultures qui aideront à combler des déficits nutritionnels tels que les micronutriments (source de fer, vitamines, minéraux) et les protéines. Cette mesure doit aussi s’intéresser à tester de nouvelles variétés et mettre en place des unités de recherches axées sur la diversité des cultures qualitativement indispensables pour la nutrition des divers groupes d’individus.

4.    Agriculture, santé et nutrition : Cette mesure doit se pencher sur la liaisons-agriculture-nutrition-santé.  Couverture des besoins nutritionnels (calorie et micronutriments)  et sanitaire. Les mauvaises conditions nutritionnelles et sanitaires font que les adultes soient souvent épuisés physiquement et moralement,  et n’arrivent pas à travailler leur terre. La nutrition et la santé constituent la base de la productivité. Dans le milieu rural, l’agriculture  qui demeure encore traditionnelle (surtout pour de nombreux pays africains) dépend fortement de la capacité physique. L’indisponibilité d’un membre actif au cours de la saison agricole (maladie, migration, décès) peut entrainer la famille dans la famine et la malnutrition. La maladie, le décès, sont des évènements inattendue  qui peuvent facilement ruiner, et l’enfoncer dans une insécurité alimentaire chronique. Pour assurer la productivité agricole,  Il est donc indispensable de prendre des mesures concrètes pour assurer la nutrition et la santé des agriculteurs.

5.    Agriculture, cueillette (ou autre activité accessoire) et nutrition: Cette mesure consister à valoriser les activités locales qui sont complémentaires à l`agriculture et la nutrition des ménages. Par exemple dans la région du Guera ou j`avais effectué ma recherche, la cueillette et les produits agricoles constituent des sources primordiales de nutrition de la population. Une bonne partie des ingrédients de la cuisine (sauce) provient des produits de la cueillette. C’est une activité qui contribue à sécuriser les produits agricoles et gérer les famines.

Dans quels domaines souhaiterez-vous intensifier les recherches pour étayer l’élaboration et la mise en œuvre d'un tel programme, et pourquoi?

•    Promouvoir l’accessibilité aux services sociaux de base: Donner la chance à la population surtout rurale d’avoir accès aux soins primaires, et aux marchés. Cette mesure va contribuer à protéger les produits agricoles et  les réserver pour la nutrition familiale.

•    Renforcer les réseaux sociaux : Les liens sociaux sont très indispensables pour sécuriser les activités agricoles. Il serait ingénieux d’identifier les réseaux sociaux locaux  et développer des programmes autour en respectant les valeurs culturelles. Aider à la résolution des conflits…  

•    Protéger-stabiliser les moyens d’existence et de subsistance : Encourager la population à la diversité  des cultures et aussi les moyens de subsistance. Par exemple apprendre des nouvelles activités qui concourent  au bienêtre.

•    Protéger les agriculteurs des enjeux agricoles : S’assurer que les politiques agricole étatiques ne soit pas des contraintes pour l’épanouissement de l’agriculture et des programme de nutrition.

Que peuvent faire nos institutions pour contribuer à ce que les gouvernements des pays s'engagent activement en faveur de vos recommandations, et en garantir la mise en œuvre efficace?

•    Établir des critères et  des indicateurs précis de suivi et control. Faire des évaluations des délais raisonnables,

•    Mettre en place une cellule de surveillance- monitoring indépendante (avoir l’œil sur les politiques agricoles étatiques qui souvent bloque l’opération des activités des agriculteurs).

•    Élaborer des politiques consistantes pour aider le gouvernement à respecter leur engagement envers la population, réviser/assouplir des politiques agricoles qui freinent le bon déroulement des activités agricole.

Dear all

The issue of agriculture for ensuring nutrition security is very important.  The Indian National Science Academy (INSA) discussed the issue of "Nutrition security for India: issues and the way forward" in a sympsoum held held on August 3,4, 2009. Based on the presentations and subsequent extensive discussion among fellows and other experts, a position paper was prepared. I am reproducing below the recommendations relevant to agriculture.

 

Increased Availability and Access to Variety of Foods

1. Environmentally sustainable, nutrition oriented cropping pattern, using a blend of time-tested conventional and new technologies with appropriate safety checks. – Awareness and education of agriculture professionals at all levels and community–Ministry of agriculture (MOA), ICAR, State agriculture universities, MI&B.
2. House-hold food and nutrition security through decentralised, nutritionally oriented cropping pattern, homestead production of nutrient-dense vegetables, fruits, and animal products–poultry, dairy, fishery. Home grown food can ensure livelihood security, reliable and affordable food security and reduce rural urban and gender divide. - Awareness and education of agriculture professionals at all levels–MOA, ICAR, State agriculture universities, I&B.
3. Nutrition dimension should be main-streamed into national missions like Horticulture, Food security, NREGA and Rural Health Mission, with defined input and output parameters for monitoring. NREG scheme should be well structured to create assets that would help ecology and nutrition and develop skills. S&T institutions should be involved in its execution. –MOA, Ministry of rural development (MRD), MOH.
4. Orphan crops like millets should be revived. Increase in production of pulses should receive high priority. –MOA, ICAR, State agriculture universities, MI&B.
5. Efforts need to be made to bridge the gap between actual and potential productivity of all crops. –MOA, ICAR, State agriculture universities, MI&B.
6. Community gene, seed, grain and water banks, and crop livestock integrated farming will enhance nutrition security in dry land areas. – Agriculture extension, MOA, ICAR, State agriculture universities.  
7. Post harvest technologies including establishment of modern silos, and food processing for value addition should receive high priority to prevent wastage of farm produce and generate employment. –MOA, MRD, Ministry of food processing industries (MFPI).
8. Public distribution system should be strengthened and basket of commodities increased to include millets, pulse and oils. –Ministry of civil supplies.
9. Export of Soya bean products should be stopped till availability of other pulses improves. Soya bean can be used to fortify wheat flour and other vehicles. - MOA, MFPI, Civil supplies.

Subsequent to publication of this paper, a more focused paper entitled "Micronutrient security for India- priorities for research and action" Both these papers are also available on INSA web site.

Hope this information is useful

Mahtab S. Bamji

INSA Hon.Scientist, Dangoria Charitable Trust,Hyderabad

Address for correspondence: 211, Sri Dattasai Apartments, RTC Cross Rds, Hyderabad, 500020

Based on your own knowledge and experience in the area of improving nutrition through food and agriculture programmes:

1.    If you were designing an agricultural investment programme, what are the top 5 things you would do to maximize its impact on nutrition?

Some of the main items to be done:

• Ensure the overall objective and the goals of the programme touches on nutrition,
• Ensure the problem statement identifies a nutrition problem that it want to contribute towards,
• Ensure there is at least one specific objective on nutrition. The objective should be SMART.
• Ensure there are specific / clear activities on nutrition that are indicated in the work plan. The activities should also have specific outputs,
• Ensure there are clear budget  lines for the nutrition activities and human resource,

2.    To support the design and implementation of this programme, where would you like to see more research done, and why?

• There is need to link the ALREADY done agricultural research to nutrition. The bigger challenge is that most agricultural research done does not (yet) directly benefit the small scale farmers, while they contribute a significant amount in food production all over the world. It may be benefiting the large scale farmers, or sitting in shelves. There is need to translate the successful researches into a language that rural small scale farmers understand and can implement.
• There is need to support the production of traditional crops, including vegetables. I know this has already been echoed many times, but there is need to practically implement this at community level.
• Nutrition education is another area that needs research. Which are the best ways of communicating and successful implementation of Behaviour Change Communication? Especially in food choices, cultural factors affecting food consumption etc
• In pastoral regions, there is need for strong research in the traditional milk and meat preservation techniques that are safe and acceptable, to be used in different regions. This is a grey area, that needs specific clarifications to assist in implementation of livestock programs that have an end objective of improving food security and nutrition- this has been a clear gap even in the horn of Africa, and has been raised severally.

3.    What can our institutions do to help country governments commit to action around your recommendations, and to help ensure implementation will be effective?

• There is need to build nutrition capacity in agricultural institutions. (so that nutrition is no longer seen as a ‘health’issue, but also an agricultural and food security issue),
• Support development of ag-nutrition specific tools (e.g food consumption tools) that will assist the agriculture sector ‘understand’ what improved nutrition means in an agricultural setting,
• Disseminate these tools as well as guidelines.
• Share case studies of where these have been done and lessons learnt/ recommendations for further improvement. This will give the country governments more confidence in linking agriculture to nutrition,
• Ensure agriculture-nutrition linkages are well embedded in country processes and policies e.g caadp, food and nutrition security papers and legislation.
•  

Thanks,

Angela Kimani

Nutritionist

FAO- Sub-Regional Emergency Office for Eastern and Central Africa

United Nations Office, UN Avenue, Gigiri, 2nd level, Block P

P.O. Box 30470-00100;  Nairobi, Kenya

I think the comments so far have all been great. I believe it is important to match production with consumption. Therefore the first (1)  thing that I would suggest is a stocktaking of the situation in the country with regards to nutrition and henceforth seek to identify gaps, what are we eating too much of or what aren't we eating in sufficient quantities? How wholesome is what we are eating? Are we producing the foods that are necessary to guarantee minimum levels of nutrition?. (2) I would also suggest that investment programmes be more crop or area specific so that we try to increase production of certain foods, emphasizing quality by supporting organic production; and we assess the difference in nutrition levels among various localities and try to support increased production and processing in foods where nutrition levels are currently at undesriable levels. Additionally, (3) I would support environmentally sustainable practices as this can aid in improving food quality and the productivity of land resources. (4) I would also support a social assessment of the nutrition situation of the country and encourage targeting of vulnerable social fragements of society, such as single-parent homes, early school levels for increased support for production activities. (5) Education is a major factor supporting nutrition. People making consumption decisions not only on their access to and capabilities to purchase food but also based on norms established by fore-parents etc. For instance, in Guyana  put a lot of coconut milk in certain foods but coconut milk is high in cholesterol. We also put sugar in just about every food that we cook, which increases our daily consumption of sugar.

1. If you were designing an agricultural investment programme, what are the top 5 things you would do to maximize its impact on nutrition?

1. promotion of indigenous knowledge and orphan crops would help. Most orphan crops have advantages over the ones which are being promoted now.

2. understanding the current status, advantages and utilizing it. In Malawi for example we have many goats which can provide milk to children and women to improve nutrition.

3. Behaviour change communication intensification. People need to know advantages of many orphan crops, goats milk, insects, mice and other foods. In Malawi people have little reliesh and plenty of starch on their meals, a habit that need to change and improve. 

4. Legumes which provide nutritous food are a major source of income now that tobacco has no future. The conflict will be bigger now than ever before. There is a need to come up with more viable cash crops and utilize legumes as food.

5. Organic farming. Farmers discovered that applying manure twice work well in the same way chemical fertilizer does in maize. There is a need to encouge better manure making innovations, to reduce starvation, or low yield of maize, the major food crop.

1. If you were designing an agricultural investment programme, what are the top 5 things you would do to maximize its impact on nutrition?

Objectively assess the unique and essential nutritional profile of the whole Cannabis plant, without prejudice against the cultivation of "industrial hemp" strains. See www.cannabisinternational.org for more information about why Cannabis is in fact a "dietary essential."

2. To support the design and implementation of this programme, where would you like to see more research done, and why?

Research is needed to determine which lands are available for phytoremediation and for expanding the arable base, using highly adaptable and industrially useful pioneers crops inclusive of Cannabis.

3. What can our institutions do to help country governments commit to action around your recommendations, and to help ensure implementation will be effective?

Officially recognize the impact that current drug policy has had on food security and nutrition.

Dear Friends

We can make agriculture work for nutrition if we allow the practice of ecological agriculture to continue because of the bonus of uncultivated food we get from these farms will definitely answer some of the worst nutritional deficiency disorders.  

Dry land Millet  farmers’ treasured their knowledge about their resources, about their ecological agriculture, about their well being, about their living interface with nature and passed on to generation to  generation.

 

If we closely understand we find that a very important component of millet cultivation is it’s embedded biodiversity. On their lands one cold see that s and millets stand next to pulses and pulses stand next to oilseeds and oilseeds stand next to vegetable. As a combination, millets, pulses, oilseeds and vegetables made a perfect combination of completely nutritious meal possible in the lives of the dry land people without having to spend a single paisa on outside food purchases.

 

Astonishingly within this gamete of ecological agriculture there is the issue of uncultivated foods which are also called as wild greens by people and designated as weeds by scientists.

It is a kind of ecological agriculture pattern that sustains uncultivated foods. Certain crops in certain seasons in certain agriculture fashion allow lot of greens to come up on their lands without consciously cultivating them.

 

Addition of farmyard manure enhances the growth of these multipurpose greens on their lands. Light wooden ploughing will allow the delicate seed to be preserved and germinated easily where as hard tractor ploughing may destroy them.

 

Same way application of chemical fertilizers hardness the soil and germination of these delicious delicate seeds may not happen easily and application of pesticides completely makes them non edible as the pesticide directly falls and settles on these greens.    

 

To enjoy the greens as food, fodder and medicine the dry land Millet farmers always kept themselves away from these chemicals. The embedded uncultivated foods are always handy to women on their every visit to farm.

 

Thank you

 

Greetings,

I wish to contribute to this interesting topic.

1. If you were designing an agricultural investment programme, what are the top 5 things you would do to maximize its impact on nutrition?
   
   It is important to make sure that all the livelihood resources are available, accessed and controlled by both gender, and in sustainable.
   
   Achieving food diversity by reviving orphan crops and developing models for nutrition sensitization,  education and recipe development. This will work well through community women groups and schools especially targeting the girl child.
2. To support the design and implementation of this programme, where would you like to see more research done, and why?
   
   Participatory projects are more appropriate than deep scientific research, which is already available and should be implemented. Climate smart, eco-effective and interactive livelihood groups can work together to implement good practices.
3. What can our institutions do to help country governments commit to action around your recommendations, and to help ensure implementation will be effective?
   
   Our governments need to build and develop capacities of communities through devolved mechanisms so that resources and skilled experts reach the poor at the grassroots.