C. Henry, S. Beyene, A. Nayyar, G. Brehanu, H. Haileslassie, E. Kinfe , T.

Fikre, R.T. Tyler,

Food Security Dialogue, University of Alberta

Harnessing Pulses for linking Agriculture and Nutrition and Ensuring Food Security

Challenges to Linking Agriculture and Nutrition: Ensuring Food SecurityPersistent hunger: ~ 870 million people

chronically undernourished (FAO 2012) Growing, urbanizing population Changes in food consumption patterns Food price volatility Climate change – increased occurrence of shocks Focus on Feeding 9 Billion People (yields,

productivity) Need to focus also on access to high quality diets

Challenges and Success in Linking Agriculture and Nutrition - Marie Ruel, IFPRI

Nutrition Situation in Ethiopia

Micronutrient deficiency, also known as “hidden hunger,” is a major public health problem in most developing countries and Ethiopia is no exception

Availability

Acc

ess

Utilization

- 50% of reproductive age group women deficient in iron - 72% of pregnant women in Southern part deficient in zinc- 44% under five years children stunted

• Population health-gender, value chain

• Micronutrients processing

• Household & post harvest

• Soil quality• Genetic varieties• Nutrition

interventions

5 innovations

Gender

Legumes Legumes Leguminous crops play an important role in the

diet of low income peopleMajority of population is engaged in agriculture

Soils were characterized for Fe and Zn deficiency

Application of Zn along with N and P increased haricot bean productivity as compared to Zn alone in 2 out of 6 locations.

Both foliar and soil application of Zn on maize at Butajira increased grain and biomass yield by 22% and 15% respectively as compared to control (application method).

Zn (soil and folair) application increased grain and biomass yield by 42.5% and 44% in Zeway

Studies on productivity: Soil/plant

Hawassa Dume and Ayenew produced higher grain yield as compared to Melkie and Red Wolaita varieties of Haricot beans (varieties)

Grain yield and biomass yield was higher at Halaba location as compared to Taba and Meskan districts (varieties).

Thousand seed weight and mean seed per spike were significantly affected by bean residue (Crop residue).

Studies on productivity: Soil/plant

Population healthSeveral studies examined

the relationship of socioeconomics, gender, & nutrition & health status

Focused primarily on women & young children

Findings: female’s role was less valued in pulses production, local cultural practices on decision-making limits women’s ability to benefit economically from the sale of pulses

Mothers need for nutrition education

Studies: Pulses Value Chain AnalysisStudy: Potential and constraints for livelihood improvement and export development in selected Woredas of Southern Ethiopia (Tewodros (2013)Method: Survey interview questionnaire

Key Findings: Males dominate sale of chickpea in three of the study sites. Differences in intra household food distribution,

meaning, some household members, get better access to a specific food items than others.

One women said “ haricot bean sale is a cause of fight and disagreement among many households because men do not tell us for how much they sell the produce and we have no say on how the money should be spent”

Jaffe & Kaler – Social dimensions

Gender Analysis Framework

Nigatu, et al, 2013

Gender-Nutrition Sensitization Workshop

Held in Hawassa, December 4-6,2013Goal: forum for experience sharing, feedback

gathering; issues and opportunities for implementing a gender sensitive agenda across project sites.

Participants: 128 stakeholders (farmers, plus) AM- Focus groups- male, female, decision makersAfternoon- experience sharing-best practicesSeveral presentations- gender study, value chain

Gender Sensitization WorkshopOutcome of the workshop:

Farmers expressed that knowledge was increased about importance of pulse production and consumption for improved productivity and diet quality.

Best practice shared on pulse production, processing, preparation and consumption.

Guidance to researchers on areas where project could be strengthenedTraining on the nutritional importance of pulses and

preparation methods for diet enrichment Nutrition research such as recipe development and testing

Concerns about Reducing Women's Burden

Poem on benefitsOf haricot beans

Micronutrient levels of commonly consumed dishes

Household food processing for improved micronutrient intake; sensory analysis & consumer acceptability studies

Effect of post harvest practicesNutrient and anti nutrient content analysis

of chickpea varieties (local desi, improved desi: Mestewal and improved kabuli: Habru )

Analysis of functional, physicochemical and cooking characteristics of three chickpea varieties

Studies: Biobioavailability and mineral content of chickpea and bean based dishesMethods: Application of household food processing

treatments (soaking at 12, 24 and 48 hours and germination at 24, 48 and 72hours)

Results: Mineral content (zinc, iron, calcium ) of chickpea and bean based dishes were well retained in most of the commonly consumed dishes with various treatments

Germination no longer a common practiceImplications: greater nutritional value; this may lead to

improved micronutrient status especially among women and children

Studies contd.Method: application of

germination in complementary food preparation (maize and bean)

Result: processed products showed significant reduction of phytate (p= 0.001)

No significant difference in sensory attributes of porridge samples (36 mother- child pairs)

Studies contd. Acceptability studies

(Chickpea)Method: application of

roasting and boilingResult: There was no

significance difference in appearance, taste, texture , and the overall acceptability of dishes prepared from improved chickpea varieties compared to local varieties

Studies: Advocating More Pulses in the Diet

Nutrition intervention:Farmers training;

intervention effect (KAB)- improvement of diet (product development)

Involvement of Male farmers

Nutrition Education Tool - Conversation Map

Capacity Building• Student-Faculty led research & extension in study

sites• Several piloted studies on production, processing,

nutrition• Carried out jointly by HU & UofS• Joint PhD in Agriculture (initially)• UofS - PhD Nutrition• HU - Applied MSc

• Participatory community engagement approach• e.g. farmers training/field days

• Collaboration with research & development partners• public-private partnership)

• Fostering local initiatives • Increasing links to agriculture-nutrition-health

• e.g. University, Health Care

What Have We Learned?• We have learned a lot from our baseline & other

studies– Practice of double cropping and crop rotation for

increased production and higher nutrition quality– Pulses a population tool for micronutrient deficiency

reduction and non-communicable diseases– Integrating nutrition education & training, with pulses

production improve dietary diversity & health benefits– Market can be used as a driver for food & nutrition

security – income, crop choice and diet diversity effect

– Need for policy strategies that leads to advocacy -stress pulses production & consumption

Next StepsEvaluate outcomes of current nutrition

interventions and scale up positive outcomesSelect household-based food processing

method yielding better bioavailable nutrientsImprove the positive effect of market on

nutrition while mitigating its effect on nutrient depletion

Engage farmers in discussions about cooperatives for improve bargaining power to get high share in price for their commodities

Thank YouCIFSRF TEAM (agriculture, nutrition, food

science, gender, marketing/value chain, sociology)

University of Saskatchewan Hawassa UniversityRegional Agriculture and Health BureausNGOsGraduate studentsFarmers & farming householdsFunders –IDRC/DFATD