One Health approach to

food and nutrition security in

sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia

Associate Professor Robyn Alders, AO Faculty of Veterinary Science

Charles Perkins Centre

Good food, good health: delivering the benefits of food security in Australia and beyond

University of Sydney: 17 March 2014

Acknowledgements

› Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR)

› Australian International Food Security Research Centre (AIFSRC)

› Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

› Crawford Fund

› Project partners in Tanzania, Zambia, Lao PDR, Timor Leste, UK and Australia

› Forum sponsors: CPC, MBI and SSEAC

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One Health

One Health is a comprehensive approach to health that focuses on:

A. Improving health and well-being through the prevention of risks and the mitigation of effects of crises that originate at the interface between humans, animals and their various environments.

B. Promoting multi (cross) sectoral collaborations and a “whole of society” treatment of health hazards, as a systemic change of perspective in the management of risk.

Types of undernutrition

Normal Wasting

Low weight for height

Underweight

Low weight for age

Stunting

Low height for age

Micronutrient deficiencies (iron, vitamin A, iodine, zinc, etc)

(Kimboka 2014)

Agriculture and human nutrition

› Recent reviews have shown little impact of agricultural interventions on childhood nutrition (Masset et al. 2012)

› Stunting remains high in many countries despite increases in

agricultural production › Stunting affects health, physical and cognitive development

capacity in children as well as productivity in adulthood

› 11% of gross national product in Africa and Asia lost annually due to malnutrition

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Current undernutrition data

- Stunting in Tanzania in children <5 years

42% - Stunting in Zambia in children <5 years

45% - Stunting in Lao PDR in children < 5 years

48% - Stunting in Timor-Leste in children < 5 years

58%

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Distribution of stunting in Zambia

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N.B. Central Province: *2nd highest rate of stunting * High maize producing area

(NFNCZ 2012)

Tackling the most critical period

8 (NFNCZ 2012)

Challenges: local conditions Nutritional information for

breastfeeding women Project environment in

dry season where breastfeeding women live

The One Health paradigm can help to connect theory with practice to deliver beneficial change to food and nutrition security

N.B. No electricity … no mobile phone network

In utero dietary requiements

Trimester

Nutrient requirements

Protein Micronutrients Energy

First +++ +++ +

Second ++ ++ ++

Third + + +++

Women reluctant to disclose pregnancy during first trimester Therefore: crucial to ensure good nutrition for women of reproductive age

(Kimboka 2014)

Challenges: seasonal variations

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Event Children's age as of March 2014 in Central Tanzania

0-6 mths 7-12 mths 13-18 mths 19-24 mths

Period of birth Sept'13-Mar'14 Mar-Sept'13 Sept'12-Mar'13 Mar-Sept'12

Period of conception

Jan-Jun'13 Jul-Dec'12 Jan-Jun'12 Jul-Dec'11

Experienced hunger period Jan-Mar'12

No No Yes - in utero Yes - in utero

Experienced hunger period Jan-Mar'13

Yes - in utero Yes - in utero Yes Yes

Experienced hunger period Jan-Mar'14

Yes Yes Yes Yes

A quick tour of some examples

Of taking a One Health approach to improve food and nutrition

security

demonstrating the benefits of collaboration across the USyd

campus and beyond

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Strengthening food and nutrition security through family poultry and crop integration in Tanzania and Zambia

Research aim To reduce childhood

undernutrition by analysing and testing opportunities to enhance the key role that women play in

improving poultry and crop integration and efficiency to

strengthen household nutrition.

Our Project Team

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Tanzania Tanzania Veterinary Laboratory Agency Tanzania Food and Nutrition Centre Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives Sokoine University of Agriculture Dar es Salaam University Muhumbili University of Health and Allied Sciences Zambia Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Ministry of Health (Public Health) National Commission for Food and Nutrition University of Zambia

Australia USyd School of Public Health Nutritional epidemiologist Biostatistician USyd Faculty of Agriculture and Environment Post harvest specialist USyd Faculty of Veterinary Science Vet Public Health Epidemiologist Village poultry health and production specialist

International Royal Veterinary College, London One Health Economist Veterinary Ecologist KYEEMA Foundation Social Anthropologist Veterinary Laboratory and cold chain specialist

Charles Perkins Centre Food and Nutrition Security

Project Node

Why village poultry?

In mixed farming systems in Southern Africa: › very few households own cattle (~10-20%) › some own small ruminants (~30-40%), but

› most own village poultry (70-80%) Credit: Kyeema/Alders

Vital role in rural families …

› Village poultry provide: - petty cash

- bioavailable protein & micronutrients

- pest control (of both plant & animal pests) - manure for vegetable gardens

- social credit – ceremonies & rituals, & - assets for women & children

Credit: Kyeema/Alders

Eggceptional value!

› One egg contains: - Energy - 315 kilojoules - High quality protein – rich in essential amino acids - Vitamins including Vit. A, B12, K & choline - Minerals

› Sterile inside (usually) › Easy to store › Available most of year › Easy & quick to cook

Credit: FAO/Alders

Gender

Research indicates that resources under the

control of women are more likely to be used to support the education and nutrition

of children

Focusing on sorghum,

millet and

indigenous vegetables

Credit: Kyeema/Bagnol

[rather than high energy, low

nutrient diversity hybrid maize]

Collaborative work in Lao PDR

› Honorary Prof Lester Burgess › Improving durian production, and › Improving village poultry

production to support: - manure as a biofumigant - food and nutrition security

Funding: Crawford Fund

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Collaborative work in Timor-Leste

› Improved poultry and human health › Timorese Ministry of Agriculture and

Fisheries; Ministry of Health; and Ministry of Education

› USyd Public Health; Education and Vet Science

› Australian Department of Agriculture › Funding: USyd School of Public

Health, Department of Foreign Affairs and Crawford Fund

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Our challenges going forward

› How to achieve nutrition-sensitive agriculture in a sustainable manner to meet a growing human population?

› How to achieve ecologically-sensitive human nutrition?

› How to encourage food value chains to support good nutrition?

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Thank you for your attention

Thank you for your attention.

References AVMA. 2008. One Health Initiative Task Force. "One Health: A New Professional Imperative". The

American Veterinary Medical Association. July 15, 2008. https://www.avma.org/KB/Resources/Reports/Documents/onehealth_final.pdf

NFNCZ. 2012. The first 1000 most critical days: three year program. National Food and Nutrition Commission of Zambia. Lusaka.

2013-2015FAO. 2009. The State of Food Insecurity in the World: Economic crises – impacts and lessons learned. Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations, Rome.

Girard A, Self J, McAuliffe C, Oludea O. 2012. The Effects of Household Food Production Strategies on the Health and Nutrition Outcomes of Women and Young Children: A Systematic Review. Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology 26 (Suppl. 1), 205–222.

Hawkes, C., Turner, R. and Waage, J. 2012. Current and planned research on agriculture for improved nutrition: a mapping and a gap analysis. A report to the Department for International Development, UK.

Kimboka, S. 2014. Child undernutrition in Tanzania. Strengthening food and nutrition security through family poultry and crop integration in Tanzania and Zambia: Project Inception Workshop. Dar es Salaam, 11-12 February 2014.

Masset E, Lawrence Haddad L, Cornelius A, Isaza-Castro, J. 2012. Effectiveness of agricultural interventions that aim to improve nutritional status of children: systematic review. The British Medical Journal 344:d8222.

Turk, J.M. (2013): Poverty, Livestock and Food Security in Developing Countries. CAB Reviews. 8, 033, 1-8. 24