Nutrient Gaps in Changing Food Systems in Rural Africa

Abstract

Objectives: Using an innovative package of research tools and village-level datasets, this study assesses changes in nutrient gaps of food systems in eight Millennium Villages Project sites across different agro-ecological zones in sub-Saharan Africa. In addition, the potential of local ecosystems to help fill these gaps is explored. Methods: Data on food production, consumption and purchase, anthropometric measurements and biomarkers were collected at baseline (2006-7). Follow-up surveys were conducted at year three and year 5 of the MVP. A first tool calculates nutrient intake. A second tool estimates the minimum cost of a nutritional food basket, identifies most expensive nutrients and compares this to household income. A third tool determines food and nutrient availability at the landscape level and uses soil, climate and biodiversity data to identify local potential for closing nutrient gaps. Results: Three and five years after the start of the project, increases are observed in food and nutrient availability, access and utilization. Stunting among children under 2 years in age reduced. Despite large variability in food availability and diet diversity between sites, remaining micronutrient gaps, in particular for Zinc and Vitamin A, are common across different agro-ecological zones. Application of the nutritional functional diversity metric identified food sources that can help closing these nutrient gaps. Conclusions: The approach used in this project provides a systematic means to assess nutrient gaps in the various parts of the food system – availability, access and utilization. The diversity of recommendations across sites demonstrates the necessity of a custom analysis.