Nutrition-sensitive agriculture

In Africa, nutritional deficiencies among children due to poverty and a lack of awareness on the importance of a nutritious diet have long been regarded as a malnutrition burden, but in recent years, adult obesity and lifestyle-related diseases based on unbalanced dietary habits have also become serious problems.

It has been medically proven that malnutrition in early childhood has a significant impact on brain development as well as physical growth, and agriculture is expected to make a positive contribution in the field of nutrition.

SAA needs to take on the challenge of improving nutrition in rural Africa by strengthening its extension system to support the cultivation and marketing of nutritious crops (biofortified and nutrient-dense), improving food safety and quality, and by promoting market-oriented agriculture to increase the income of smallholder farmers and improve their access to nutritious food. It is also necessary to improve nutrition education targeting women who are most concerned about the health of their families. In addition, nutrition-related agriculture curricula should be introduced in SAA-affiliated university programs.