Nicaragua : a strategy for nutrition interventions in the small farm sector

THE GOVERNMENT IS ESTABLISHING A NATIONAL FOOD AND NUTRITION PROGRAM TO DEAL WITH MALNUTRITION. THIS REPORT PROVIDES AN ANALYTIC FRAMEWORK FOR SELECTING NUTRITION INTERVENTIONS IN RURAL AREAS, AND IT DESCRIBES A PROGRAM BASED ON THAT ANALYSIS. THE RURAL AREA INCLUDES THREE OVERLAPPING SUBPOPULATIONS AT RISK: SMALL FARMERS, NON-FARMERS, AND FARM LABORERS. THE MAJOR CHARACTERISTICS OF SMALL-FARM FAMILIES WHICH AFFECT THEIR NUTRITIONAL STATUS ARE DEPENDENT ON HOME-GROWN FOOD, COMBINED WITH LIMITED PURCHASING POWER, SEASONALITY OF PRODUCTION, THEIR DISPERSION AND ISOLATION, AND STRONG TRADITIONS. THEY WILL BE BENEFITED BY INTERVENTIONS WHICH INCREASE AND DIVERSIFY THEIR PRODUCTION, AND PROTECT STORED FOOD AGAINST LOSS. WITH SMALL-FARM FAMILIES, CHILDREN UP TO AGE SIX AND PREGNANT AND LACTATING WOMEN ARE THE MOST AT RISK, AND THEY WILL NEED SOME FORM OF SUPPLEMENTAL FOOD TO ESCAPE MALNUTRITION. PROTEIN-CALORIE MALNUTRITION AND VITAMIN B-COMPLEX DEFICIENCY CAN PROBABLY BE OVERCOME BY AN INCREASE IN GROSS INTAKE OF THE GRAIN-PULSE DIET COMMON TO THE AREA. HOWEVER, WEANING CHILDREN MAY NOT BE ABLE TO CONSUME ENOUGH BULK TO OBTAIN THE NEEDED CALORIES. VITAMIN A DEFICIENCY CAN BE OVERCOME BY FORTIFICATION OF SUGAR, AND IODINE DEFICIENCY BY FORTIFICATION OF SALT. A NATIONAL PROGRAM IS PREFERABLE TO A REGIONAL PROGRAM. NUTRITIONAL INTERVENTIONS IN RURAL AREAS SHOULD INCLUDE SALT AND SUGAR FORTIFICATION, COMMUNITY GRANARIES, NUTRITION EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN THE PRIMARY SCHOOLS AND ON NATIONAL RADIO, AND SUPPLEMENTAL FEEDING OF HIGH-RISK GROUPS.