Good nutrition advice for tough farming conditions

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Details: Written on Friday, 02 August 2013 02:32

With support from the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) , the BecA-ILRI Hub recently highlighted the nutritional benefits and potential income gains to be made from growing and consuming amaranth on the Shamba Shape-Up TV show. This program that targets rural farmers with affordable and sustainable farm improvements is aired on Citizen TV in East Africa and has attracted an audience of over 11 million viewers.

Loaded with unique nutritional properties, the amaranth, a hardy, drought tolerant crop commonly regarded as a weed in many parts of Africa, presents the opportunity of complementing the nutritional properties of starchy staples. This under-recognized and under-studied traditional crop is especially beneficial for pregnant and breastfeeding women as well as babies and children since its leaves are a good source of vitamins A, C, K and folate, while the grain contains high levels of protein containing essential amino acids, high dietary fiber content and minerals like iron, zinc and calcium.

The BecA-ILRI Hub’s research on amaranth is funded by the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) through a Research for Development partnership with Australia's national science agency, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and the Hub. The partnership is focused on improving food and nutritional security, and animal health in the region as well as building the capacity of African scientists and national research institutes.

Watch the episode on growing amaranth for improved nutrition and climate change mitigation
Read more about the project “Amaranth: adding nutrition to African diets through low cost sustainable processing”