Will NSA help address the underlying causes of nutrition imbalance?
Nutrition is an integral part of agriculture. Increasing the production of staple foods to attain
caloric self-sufficiency is one of the major goals of food security agendas. But it is insufficient
for accomplishing every aspect of nutrition goals. With more than half of the global
population’s nutrition in imbalance with hunger, deficiencies, obesity, and overweight, a diet
primarily based on staple food is not conducive to the growth of a healthy population.
Nevertheless, many people who work in agriculture do not consume enough food or
maintain a healthy diet; even though 63% of low-income people in the globe work in
agriculture, the vast majority of them on small farms, many are still in danger of food and
nutrition insecurity.
In 2014, the Second International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2) was jointly organised by
the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and World Health Organisation (WHO). The
conference threw light on new challenges and opportunities for improving nutrition. In the
context of ICN2, Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture (NSA) was introduced. FAO defines NSA as
a food-based approach to agricultural development that puts nutritionally rich foods, dietary
diversity, and food fortification at the heart of overcoming malnutrition and micronutrient
deficiencies. Therefore, it may seem counterintuitive to recommend that agriculture become
more nutrition-sensitive, as it is the source of most of the food we consume.
Conventional farmers usually have to choose between what they sell and consume. Even
though they raise cattle and grow nutritious crops, many sell most of their output, leaving
next to nothing for household use. Others, who only produce one or a few crops, must buy
most of their food from the market. Therefore, NSA focuses on implementing practices that
provide year-round access to a variety of nutritious foods, either by ensuring producers have
the resources to produce the necessary food for a balanced diet or by equipping
marketplaces to offer a variety of healthy foods at reasonable costs. Additionally, it entails
limiting food loss and waste by lowering food-borne pathogens through improved technology
and appropriate hygiene standards throughout the value chain.
The primary objective of NSA and food systems is to ensure that acceptable, diversified,
nutritious, and safe food always be accessible and affordable to meet the nutritional needs of
people of all ages. NSA also means educating families about nutrition so they can produce,
purchase, prepare and consume healthy foods. The main aim of agriculture in aiding NSA is
the production, processing, storage, and marketing of nutritious foods.
The best example of using NSA is Nutri-gardens. Since the beginning of time, Nutri-gardens
have been a cornerstone of traditional farming systems, but their significance has
diminished. One of the advantageous and low-cost techniques to raise nutritional levels in
consumers is Nutri-gardening. Nutri-garden ensures an inexpensive, regular and handy
supply of fresh vegetables essential to nutrition. Hence, Nutri-gardens may be regarded as a
simple but innovative option that bridges the gap between the available resources and their
sustainable utilisation, addressing issues like malnutrition and creating additional revenue-
generating opportunities for farmer communities.