Food production/consumption linkage : final report

The project introduced a maize/cowpea intercrop system to increase women"s production of maize, a food crop which offers advantages over rice in nutrition, marketability, and reduced cultivation workload. Hand shellers and millers were distributed to ease maize processing. To improve food consumption, rural women were educated in nutrition principles (i.e., the importance of iron, protein, and vitamins) and practices (particularly weaning) and in proper methods of maize/cowpea processing and cooking; female extension workers conducted maize cooking demonstrations (55 in 1984-85 alone). With information provided by the project, the Gambian woman is able to use maize as a supplement to the family"s rice-dominated diet and able to market maize for a sizable profit. Provided in appendices are the technical package used by extension workers and 14 maize and bean recipes.