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Nutrition

 

January 07, 2022

 

The fields of Agriculture and Nutrition share a strong connection. One of the most apparent links is food security, which is a critical aspect of proper nutrition, alongside good healthcare and care. In 1945, the issue of recurring famines and malnutrition prompted the creation of the FOOD and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO). This organisation was established to improve nutrition and overall living standards, and it recognised that increasing agricultural productivity was a crucial method of achieving this goal. Agriculture remains an integral foundation of national development today.

 

 

Agriculture plays a vital role in providing food, which is essential for good nutrition. However, just because food is available doesn't necessarily mean good nutrition is being achieved. Poor nutrition during the first 1,000 days of a child's life can have serious and irreversible consequences, such as stunting. Stunted children are more likely to fall behind in school, become overweight, and develop non-communicable diseases. This injustice robs children of the ability to fully develop their talents throughout life.

Despite a 50% reduction in poverty in Uganda over the last decade, malnutrition has increased from 27% to 30%, and per capita daily food consumption has fallen by 9.5%. Maternal nutrition is also crucial during pregnancy for both the mother's health and the healthy development of the fetus. Inadequate maternal nutrition can result in fetal growth restriction and neonatal deaths.

Good nutrition during the first 1,000 days of life is essential for children to reach their full developmental potential. Adequate maternal nutrition, health, and physical status are crucial in preventing child undernutrition. However, pregnancy increases nutrient needs, and deficiencies in protein, energy, vitamins, and minerals are common. Environmental and psychosocial stress can also contribute to child undernutrition.

IFOSOF has developed a core strategy to address the unique needs of pregnant women and prevent malnutrition before it even begins. Their nutrition programs focus on promoting optimal nutrition practices, meeting micronutrient requirements, and preventing and treating severe acute malnutrition.

 

INITIATIVE FOR SOURCED FEEDING understands the significance of educating families on agriculture, nutrition, and health as it plays a crucial role in the growth and development of their children. It is imperative to establish food systems that offer all families access to a wide range of healthy foods. At IFOSOF, we have developed a maternal and child nutrition program that is based on feedback from our community mothers. We are planning to launch our infant child nutrition program in the first 10 health clinics located in two villages within our communities. This program aims to implement integrated nutrition and agriculture programs that cater to vulnerable smallholder families, benefiting around 200 individuals annually.

 

When looking at the entire life cycle, there are several categories of activities that can broadly be grouped as follows:

• Ensuring proper nutrition for pregnant women to prevent low birth weight.
• Providing appropriate feeding for infants and young children.
• Encouraging early initiation of breastfeeding (within one hour of birth) and continuing exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months, followed by continued breastfeeding for at least two years.
• Providing safe, timely, adequate, and appropriate complementary feeding from six months onwards.
• Preventing and treating micronutrient deficiencies and severe acute malnutrition.
• Promoting good sanitation practices and access to clean drinking water.
• Encouraging healthy practices and appropriate use of health services.

 

To improve maternal nutrient intake, we recommend supplementing with iron, folic acid, or multiple micronutrients, and providing food and other supplements where necessary. In our communities, supplementation with multiple micronutrients during pregnancy has been found to reduce low birth weight by approximately 10% compared to iron-folic acid supplementation alone. Adequate intake of folic acid and iodine around conception and during pregnancy is essential, particularly for the development of the infant's nervous system.

Exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months of life is critical and can save lives. During this period, infants who are not breastfed are more than 14 times more likely to die from many health complications than exclusively breastfed infants. Infants who are exclusively breastfed are also less likely to die from diarrhea and pneumonia, which are the two leading causes of death for children under 5.

 

 

It cannot be emphasized enough that the need for nutritional assistance is substantial. With your help and support, we are confident that we can positively impact the lives of numerous children in our community and extend our reach beyond the borders of Uganda. We possess the will, focus, and determination to address this issue.

 

 

If you would like to help, please contact

info@ifosof.org

 

Written By:

 INITIATIVE FOR SOURCED FEEDING