Food and nutrition insecurity continues to pose a serious challenge in many rural households in developing countries. In Kenya, nutrition insecurity is reflected in the increased prevalence of stunting (26%), wasting (4%), and underweight (11%) among children under 5 years of age and in micronutrient deficiencies. Poor nutrition and a general lack of health consciousness are the main causes of these unhealthy outcomes.
In order to improve nutrition and health consciousness in Kenya, ICRISAT developed nutrition activities along three pathways: (1) production for own consumption, (2) agricultural income, and (3) women’s empowerment.
The pathways include educating the local population on the importance of dietary diversity, encouraging them to reserve produce for their household consumption, using social marketing approaches to build markets for cereals and legumes, and working to support women with knowledge and skills on nutrition, energy-saving technologies/ innovations, and income-generating activities.
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