Participants preparing “Mbahal” using provitamin A cassava ©FAO/Amadou Bah

15 July 2020, Banjul — 100 farmers in four communities in the North Bank and Central River regions have successfully participated cooking demonstrations aimed to help them learn  how to prepare different dishes (including doughnuts, cassava stew and “Mbahal”) using a newly introduced provitamin A cassava variety for improved nutrition and health. Participants came from Fass Njaga Choi, Alkali Kunda in North Bank Region, Wassu (CRR/N) and Mamudfana in (CRR/S). NARI introduced in September 2019 the   biofortified cassava in the named communities’ garden. Due to the COVID-19 containment protocol, participation was limited to 25 people per community. It was also an opportunity to sensitize the participants (mainly women) on COVID-19 and on how to properly wash their hands and wear a facemask.

The Food Technology Services (FTS) of the Department of Agriculture in partnership with the National Nutrition Agency (NaNA), the National Agriculture Research Institute (NARI) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) conducted four cooking demonstrations and nutrition education sessions from the 7^th to the 15^th July 2020. The cooking demonstration aim to disseminate appropriate cooking methods and food safety tips to preserve the micronutrients in foods for optimal health and nutrition. 

The training, which lasted for two days in each community, was supported by FAO through the European Union funded project titled “Improving and Nutrition Security in The Gambia through Food Fortification”. The outreach programme also targeted agriculture extension workers to strengthen awareness on the nutritional and agronomic benefits of the bio-fortified cassava. The facilitators drawn from FTS, NaNA and NARI trained the participants on good agronomic practices as well as on the promotion of healthy diet through nutrition education.  The nutrition education session highlight the need of consuming more micronutrient rich foods to eradicate hidden hunger (micronutrient deficiency) and its related complications (anemia, night blindness, goiter etc.) Especially during the COVID19 pandemic, consuming more vitamins and minerals help to boost and strengthen the immune systems.

Mr. Foday Jadama, Regional Agriculture Director for Central River Region North speaking at the opening ceremony in Wassu on Sunday 9 July highlighted the importance of the training to the national strive to achieve sustainable socio-economic growth and development. He reminded participants that the consumption  and production of bio fortified crops, fortified foods and other foods rich in minerals and vitamins  will help to, eradicate hunger and , malnutrition as well as to  increase farmers income. He challenged participants especially lactating mothers to make best use of these foods for the health and growth of their children. Jadama challenged participants to take the training seriously and to adopt the new technology being transferred to them.

Addressing participants at both Alkali Kunda and Wassu, Ms. Solange Heise, Nutrition and Food Systems Officer at FAO Gambia and Coordinator of the Food Fortification project, explained that the project aims to reduce the prevalence of malnutrition  especially micronutrient deficiencies or Hidden hunger in the country.  She stated that; “If nutritious food is not consumed adequately, the chances for people especially children and pregnant women to suffer from hidden hunger are very high”.  She reaffirmed FAO’s commitment to continue supporting government’s effort to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal 2 ( Eradicate Hunger) in the Gambia by leaving no one behind.

Mr. Ousman Dem, Programme Officer, SBCC at NaNA made presentations on the different food groups and the benefits of consuming foods that are rich in Vitamins and minerals like the one introduced by the project namely orange flesh sweet potato,  provitamin A Maize and cassava and Iron rich cowpea.  Dem enjoins women to ensure they only  buy and use iodized salt in their households to prevent Iron Deficiency Disorders and related implications Furthermore, they  should buy fortified oil and fortified wheat flour that could be very soon recognize everywhere with the ENRICHI logo.

Mr. Tom Senghore, Horticulture Programme Manager at NARI encouraged them to embrace the production of biofortified crops noting that through support from the FAO project, NARI is distributing to selected communities cuttings of cassava and Orange Fleshed sweet Potatoes,  seeds of maize which are all rich in vitamin A and iron rich cowpea seeds. He also trained them on the good agricultural practices.