Bronwen Powell

Forests, Food Security and Nutrition in AfricaSustainable Forest Management in Central Africa

May 22 and 23, 2013

Food Security Defined

Food security exists when all people, at all times,have physical and economic access to sufficientsafe and nutritious food to meet their dietaryneeds and food preferences for a healthy andactive life

• 868millionpeoplefoodinsecure(orundernourished)peopleintheworld(~12.5%ofworld)(FAO2012)• HighestratesinSub‐SaharanAfrica26.8%(comparedto14.9%forall

developingcountries)

• 2billionpeople(almost30%ofworld)sufferfrommicronutrientdeficiency(FAO2012,UN‐SCN2010)• VitaminAdeficiency27.9%inAfrica,muchhigherthananyotherregion• VitAdef.inchildreninCentralAfrica40.8%(1990)→45.8%(2005)….The

onlyregionwithanincreaseinrates• Anemia(Irondef.)inchildreninAfrica68%...higherthanotherregions

• 1.4billionpeopleintheworldareover‐weightorobese• 146millionpeopleindevelopingworldhavediabetes(Yachetal.2006,Nature)

Some Important Numbers(updated for 2012)

IRON

Growth and cognitive development, school performance, workproductivity and maternal mortality

Sources = animal source foods (meats), legumes,leafy greens, fish, fortified cereals

Vitamin A

Vision, infection and immunity

Sources = liver, leafy greens, orange vegetables (carrots,sweet potato, pumpkin), orange fruit, dairy (including humanmilk)

THINKING beyond the canopy

Dietary Diversity

And…..

iodine,

vitaminB12,zinc,

calcium,

selenium,

folate...

Ickowitz, A., B. Powell, and T. Sunderland.Forests and Child Nutrition in Africa. Submitted for review

Tanzania, Powell et al. (2011), Powell et al. (in press)31% vitamin A, 26% iron, 23% calcium from wild foodschildren’s dietary diversity (FVS and DDS14) werecorrelated with forest cover (e.g. DDS14 and forest coverwithin 1km r=0.303; p<0.001)in dry season, individuals who had consumed vegetables hadgreater tree cover in close proximity to their home

Gabon, Blaney et al. (2009)use of natural resource (i.e. wild plant and animal foods),was associated with dietary nutrient adequacy in children over2 years of age into adolescence

Madagascar, Golden et al. (2011)loss of wild meat in the diet would result in 29% ↑ in numberof children with anemia

DRC, Termote et al. (2012)

individuals who had consumed wild plant foods had higherintake of vitamin A and calcium than those who had not ….those who consumed wild plant foods had greater intake offruit (and only 36% had consumed in rural area, less in urbanareas) (in Kisangani and rural Turumbu village of Yaoseko)

Income•Forests provide around one fifth of income (PEN)•Economic growth is necessary but not sufficient (FAO 2012)• Ickowitz 2011 “Wealthiest Is Not Always Healthiest…”• Men and women tend to use money differently

Diet and Nutrition Transitions... Lead to “Double Burden”

• Dounias and Froment 2006: When forest-based hunter-gatherersbecome sedentary: consequences for diet and health. Unasylva224(57):online.

Ecosystem Services

Pollination best measured ES from forests…. important forfruits and vegetables (Gallai et al. 2009)… majority of globalvitamin A, calcium and folic acid supply dependent onpollination (Eilers et al. 2011)

Water…. for agriculture, health (infection) and work loads

Thankyou!

Dietary Diversity

Different use of income by men vs. women?

Women's decision-making, control over income, percent of incomeearned → positive impact on food intake and child nutrition status(Smith et al. 2003, Engle 1993, Hoddinott and Haddad 1991, Kennedy and Peters 1992)

Others have found otherwise or note complications (O'Laughlin 2007)

e.g. Ternent et al. 2010: Burkina Faso, men willing to pay more than womenfor maternal health