Photo credit – © FAO Z. Jones
From: Dr. Chimimba David Phiri
More than a third of the world’s malnourished people live in Africa. The number of chronically undernourished people on the continent continues to rise to 250 million in 2019, almost a fifth of the population. 235 million of them are in sub-Saharan Africa.
Food of animal origin or foods from animal sources (ASF) play an important role in reducing malnutrition in developing countries. The benefits of consuming a reasonable amount of animal products are well known. Macronutrients like protein, iron, and B vitamins are more readily available in animal foods than in plant sources. Chicken, eggs, and milk provide high quality proteins that are rich in essential amino acids; Grains generally lack these properties. The protein content in foods indicates a higher proportion in animal foods – in meat (26%), dairy products (4%), eggs (13%), fish (26%), compared to cereals (9-13%), Legumes (9-26%) and vegetables (3%).
ASF can therefore play a fundamental role in preventing micronutrient deficiencies. The nutrients in ASF are particularly important in countries with malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies. The recommended protein requirement of 50-90g per person per day can be achieved through weekly consumption of 300g meat, 1.75l milk and dairy products, four eggs and 150g fish. Higher amounts are recommended for people with high levels of physical activity, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and children. Studies show that children under five, adolescents, women and girls, women of childbearing age, and pregnant and breastfeeding women are prone to micronutrient deficiencies, including iron deficiency (anemia), one of the most common micronutrient deficiencies in the world.
ASF is particularly critical during the first 1,000 days of life, as malnutrition during this time (between conception and the child’s second birthday) has the worst long-term negative effects on the individual’s health and educational success. Micronutrient deficiencies increase a person’s susceptibility to infection, abnormalities, developmental disorders, and reduced life expectancy.
A number of factors increase susceptibility to malnutrition, including physiological and socio-economic factors that affect households and individuals with regard to food and nutritional insecurity. A significant percentage of people in developing countries do not have access to ASF. Poor communities often consume little or no ASF for a variety of reasons, including limited availability, accessibility, affordability, dietary patterns, religious taboos, and a lack of knowledge about the nutritional properties of ASF. In some areas, cultural and religious beliefs and taboos influence the consumption of such foods. There are restrictions on who can eat ASP or by whom; Women and children in particular are often subject to such restrictions. Meat is subject to food taboos more often than any other food.
also read : FAO-IGAD statement on the drought situation.
Despite these challenges, ASF’s high potential to improve the nutrition of vulnerable populations makes the livestock sector invaluable to national policies and development partner programs focusing on food security and nutrition. The socio-economic role of farm animals is significant in many societies that associate farm animals with cultural heritage and customs. Raising livestock can provide livestock owners with an income. Selling ASP such as meat, milk, cheese and eggs, non-food products, and various paid services such as traction are the main advantages of animal husbandry. Animal husbandry systems support the livelihoods of millions of people and contribute to healthy eating and resilience.
However, livestock is a neglected subsector, and Funding for livestock projects has declined dramatically since 1974, largely due to the contribution of farm animals to climate change. Food production from farm animals is believed to account for 14.5 percent of man-made greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and environmental impacts on biodiversity, freshwater use and disruption of nutrient flows. However, this will depend on production systems, farming practices and supply chain management, where there may also be opportunities to mitigate this impact. Freshwater use is another challenge in producing food from livestock.
also read : IGAD and FAO call for urgent action to alleviate the effects of the drought in the Horn of Africa
Significant efforts are currently being made by development actors such as the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to improve and raise nutrition levels, and to mainstream nutrition goals, activities and considerations into countries’ food and agriculture policies and programs. There are also efforts to improve the contribution of farm animals to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by supporting the conversion of animal production systems to economically, socially and environmentally sustainable ones.
Harnessing the potential of the livestock sector to promote food and nutrition security
The increasing prevalence of child malnutrition and obesity among adults and children is becoming increasingly evident in many developing countries. To address this situation, integrated, nutrition-sensitive measures are required throughout the food system. Specific actions are needed to improve the diet of vulnerable populations by increasing their intake of nutrient dense foods (including ASF) in order to achieve healthier diets for all.
On the demand side, livestock products are likely to grow by almost 50 percent by 2050, driven by Africa and South Asia. Raising the potential of livestock and optimizing the efficiency of production systems is more important than ever in view of the current global food security and nutrition situation.
It is vital to create a conducive environment for improved links between livestock and human nutrition. The animal husbandry sector has great potential to combat malnutrition, especially in regions where animal husbandry is the main economic activity; and in areas that are unsuitable for plant cultivation. Using farm animals as a way out of malnutrition would be a great opportunity.
Institutional commitments are critical to generating the political will and action needed to anchor food derived from livestock in sustainable healthy diets. Nutrition education plays a critical role in developing and implementing nutrition-sensitive agricultural development initiatives to ensure that increased food production or income translates into improved diet and nutritional status.
The evidence base on the pathways from animal husbandry to nutrition to successful intervention models is in progress and needs to be expanded. Global, national, and local policies and programs should ensure that people at critical times in life have access to adequate amounts of livestock food for healthy growth and development. These stages begin at six months of age through early childhood, school age, adolescence, and pregnancy and lactation.
There is a need for a more equitable distribution of food from farm animals. The availability and affordability of safe livestock food in low and middle income countries needs to be improved where social and cultural norms allow. Nutrition, health, animal husbandry and sustainability policies at national and international level must be well coordinated. Targeting women in ranching programs will help improve their control over productive and economic resources and increase the likelihood of directing income and food produced for mothers, childcare, nutrition and health of households. Similarly, targeting smallholders at risk of poverty and malnutrition can help improve access to quality food.
Policy and program support for mixed farming systems, which include circular agriculture and pasture systems, can help reduce the environmental impact of agriculture, including animal husbandry. Deeper insights into the bi-directionality of climate change and animal-derived food production are needed, along with more evidence of the ability of sustainable food production systems to mitigate and be resilient to climate change. With these steps, we could harness the potential of livestock food to improve food and nutrition security on the African continent.
