Under the World Food Programme's Purchase for Progress (P4P) project, we are undergoing a great deal of work to link nutrition and agriculture. Efforts are many and varied based upon country contexts, but here are a couple exciting and innovative examples:
In Afghanistan P4P supports linkages between smallholder farming and nutrition, with an emphasis on soya production and by supporting millers to produce fortified flour while buying smallholders' crops. Plus, a mobile factory has been introduced to produce High Energy Biscuits (HEB) for sale on the local market and use in WFP emergency responses. The biscuit factory is sourcing part of the soy and wheat used to make HEB from smallholder farmers participating in P4P. The pioneering design of this factory is particularly exciting. Because it is made of mobile containers that take up minimal space and can be installed quickly they can be used in a variety of rural or conflict environments, where lack of infrastructure might otherwise make it difficult to produce fortified foods locally. Read more
In Rwanda, Uganda and Zambia we are working closely with HarvestPlus and national governments to increase the availability of micronutrient-rich staple foods. P4P-supported smallholder farmers are cultivating biofortified crops such as Iron Beans, Vitamin A Maize and Vitamin A Sweet Potato, benefiting from home consumption of these nutritious foods, as well as selling their produce which is used as seed as well as in school meals programmes. Read more
Sra. Chelsea Graham