Improving Nutrient Supplies and Diet Diversity with Vegetables in Mali, (Phase I)

The project, funded by USAID, focuses on enhancing knowledge among women of the importance of healthy diets, increasing skills among women in vegetable food production and processing, and increasing the use of nutritious and seasonally available vegetables in household diets. The project's objectives are being achieved through various activities, including the production of vegetable seed kits at the Samanko station in Bamako. The seed kits, which include varieties of okra, tomato, African eggplant, pepper, and amaranth, are being produced to support the training of farmers in the project's target sites. Recommendations on best practices for seed production, fertilization, irrigation, weeding, phytosanitary, and morphological purification have been documented and practiced to ensure the production of quality seed. Four partners, including Helen Keller International (HKI), Malian Association of Awakening Sustainable Development (AMEDD), Nutrition Division (ND) of the Health Ministry of Mali, and Institut d'Economie Rurale (IER), have been identified and contracts have been finalized in compliance with USAID requirements. The collaborative work and budget listed in the contracts were based on discussions and mutual agreement during the project planning workshop and follow-up meetings. The recruitment of the position of Food and Nutrition Specialist has been completed, and the scientist will report to AVRDC on May 2, 2014, in Bamako, Mali. The key responsibilities assigned to the Food and Nutrition Specialist include conducting dietary and nutrition assessments, conducting research on issues associated with increasing consumption of vegetables, developing and implementing community-based initiatives to increase awareness about linkages between health, food, and nutrition, and contributing to the development and implementation of monitoring and evaluation plans. Training on food preparation, processing, and nutritional awareness was conducted in the M'Pessoba and Sirakelé villages in the Koutiala district as part of the Africa Rising project. Seven recipes with various combinations of cereal, legumes, vegetables, and animal products were tested, and two new training modules were developed. In total, nine training modules on nutrition with different recipes will be used by AVRDC and AMEED to conduct training in the target areas of the project. The project has faced some delays, including the delay in the recruitment of the Food and Nutrition Specialist, which caused delays in finalizing contracts with partners, collecting data on dietary diversification, and collecting baseline data on food availability and agricultural practices. However, the project is expected to require a no-cost extension until the end of 2014 to complete the activities. The project has made progress in identifying specific problems and delays and has recommended adjustments and corrective actions. The project has also made progress in conducting high-level meetings and field visits, including a regional field day organized by AVRDC in the village of Sokourani. The project has planned activities for the next reporting period, including completing vegetable seed production, producing 1,200 seed packs and nutrition messages, conducting training courses and distributing nutrition seed kits to lead farmers, and developing a training manual package including diet and basic nutrition and health practices. The project has also made progress in gender and environmental compliance, including coordination with other USAID programs and implementing partners of other donors. The project has confirmed that food preparation and processing in West Africa, particularly in Mali, is managed by women, and has organized a regional field day to share knowledge with farmers on the importance of vegetables in improving diets.