1. School of Allied Health Sciences- Tamale
Theme 5: Nutrition, food storage, value addition and mycotoxin management
PRESENTED BY
Dr Mahama Saaka (PhD)
School of Allied Health Sciences- Tamale

2. Introduction
The focus of theme 5 was to identify and promote the consumption of diverse, micronutrient-rich and safe foods to improve nutritional outcomes of children, pregnant and nursing mothers.

3. Main Activities
Focused nutrition education including demonstration on how to prepare nutrient- rich dishes with local ingredients (cereals, legumes, eggs, and vegetables)
Training and counseling in optimal maternal nutrition and infant/young child feeding practices through growth monitoring and promotion (GMP) sessions.

4. Main Activities
Holding monthly GMP sessions to detect children at risk of malnutrition early enough for counseling and nutrition rehabilitation.
Trained CHWs also provided nutrition counseling during home visits to mothers

5. Main Activities
Messages delivered included the importance of diversifying diets, nutrition during pregnancy, early and exclusive breastfeeding, the appropriate quantity and quality of complementary foods, personal and environmental hygiene

6. Main Activities
Conduct of a baseline survey on the nutritional status and dietary practices of children in project communities.
An assessment of the dietary intake and nutritional status and household food insecurity situation of pregnant women in project communities.

7. Main Activities
Evaluated how the current handling operations influence postharvest quality, losses and aflatoxin levels
Determined total aflatoxin levels in peanut samples from farmer storage units and on-farm research demonstration.

8. Main Activities
Conducted participatory on-farm evaluation of 10 peanut genotypes for resistance to aflatoxins at 3 multi-locations

9. Achievements
400 community health workers (CHWs), including members of women’s groups were trained in Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices.
Provided weighing scales, infantometers and registers to support community GMP activities

10. Achievements
Held monthly GMP sessions held in 25 programme communities.
Organize community durbars on quarterly basis to demonstrate how to prepare enriched energy- and nutrient- rich dishes with local ingredients (cereals, legumes, eggs, and vegetables)

11. Achievements
Two manuscripts have been published in peer review journals
A booklet on child malnutrition in northern Ghana has also been produced

12. Achievements
Baseline information now available on aflatoxins levels and prevalence in maize and peanut in the intervention zone.
Priority strategies have been identified to be incorporated into work plan of Phase 2

13. Summary Description of the Community Intervention Trial
Activities carried out were part of a package designed to test the hypothesis that nutrition behaviour change communication (BCC) combined with nutrition sensitive agricultural interventions will better promote the production and consumption of diverse and nutrient-rich foods.

14. Summary Description of the Community Intervention Trial
A total of 400 moderate to severe malnourished children aged 6-36 months were randomly assigned to one of the following treatments:
Legumes, Vegetables and Livestock production
Legumes, Vegetables and Livestock + Nutrition BCC

15. Summary Description of the Community Intervention Trial
Both groups of intervention communities received nutrition sensitive agricultural interventions including production of nutrient-dense crops (cowpea, soybean, groundnut, vegetables) and/or rearing of small ruminants.

16. Summary Description of the Community Intervention Trial
Whereas, the comparison communities received only the agricultural interventions, the intervention communities received additional nutrition BCC through community Growth Monitoring and Promotion (GMP) and reinforced through home visits peer counselling.

17. Summary Description of the Community Intervention Trial
The outcome of the trial is currently being evaluated.

18. Problems/Challenges  
Some of the health personnel trained to support and supervise the work of community volunteers have been transferred out of the programme districts.
Intervention households were not provided with the needed support (facilities for rearing livestock such as goats and sheep or guinea-fowls)
There was inadequate funding for Postharvest activities

19. The way-forward to improve nutrition security
There should be clear work plan and stability of funding should be streamlined prior to start of programs in Phase 2

20. The way-forward to improve nutrition security
IITA should through inter-sectoral approaches, promote and support diversified production of drought-resistant crops, including fruits & vegetables, and improved breed of small ruminants and poultry at the household and community levels

21. The way-forward to improve nutrition security
Enhance nutrient intake of children through an innovative programme that will stimulate behaviour change towards feeding children with animal source foods (ASF foods)

22. The way-forward to improve nutrition security
Measures to effectively implement homestead food production (HFP) coupled with nutrition education to increase availability and consumption of micronutrient-rich foods (fruits and vegetables and animal source foods) in poor households may contribute to the nutritional well-being of the population.

23. The way-forward to improve nutrition security
Strengthen and harmonize the institutional framework for coordination and capacity to carry out Nutrition-Agriculture interventions
A strong advocate for and support integration of nutrition in agricultural programmes at the district and sub-district levels.

24. The way-forward to improve nutrition security
Research, document and disseminate findings on positive indigenous dietary practices.
Compile food composition data for major foods consumed in Northern Ghana.

25. The way-forward to improve nutrition security
Promote proper food handling, hygiene, and sanitation through increased knowledge, use of safe water and hand-washing practices at the household level.

26. The way-forward to improve nutrition security
Need to upscale integrated pre-and-postharvest management strategies to reduce consumer risk in Ghana.

27. THANKS
END OF PRESENTATION