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Biotechnol. Agron. Soc. Environ. 2000 4 (3), 169179
Rural nutrition interventions with indigenous plant foods
a case study of vitamin A deficiency in Malawi
Suresh Chandra Babu
International Food Policy Research Institute. 2033 K Street, NW. Washington, DC 20006. USA. E-mail : s.babu@cgiar.org.
Received 27 April 2000, accepted 26 June 2000.
Identification, propagation, and introduction of a nutritionally rich, indigenous plant species in the existing cropping system
are presented in this paper as a method of rural nutrition intervention. A case study of Moringa (Moringa oleifera Lam.;
Moringaceae), which is a common tree in Malawi and one of the richest sources of vitamin A and vitamin C compared to the
commonly consumed vegetables is presented to address the problem of vitamin A deficiency. After a brief review of the
prevalence of vitamin A deficiency and the efforts to reduce its incidence in Malawi, Moringa is suggested as a potential
solution to the problem. A framework for designing nutrition intervention with Moringa is described for actual
implementation. It is argued that attempts to identify, document, and encourage the utilization of nutrient-rich indigenous
plants could be cost-effective, and a sustainable method of improving the nutritional status of local populations.
Keywords. Indigenous plants, Moringa oleifera, rural nutrition, vitamin A deficiency, Malawi, Africa.
Utilisation de plantes indigènes dans l'alimentation en milieu rural une étude de cas : la carence en vitamine A au
Malawi. L'identification, la multiplication et l'introduction d'espèces végétales indigènes de haute valeur nutritionnelle dans
les systèmes culturaux sont présentées comme une méthode d'intervention dans le secteur de la nutrition en milieu rural. Afin
d'apporter une réponse au problème de carence en vitamine A, une étude de cas concernant le Moringa (Moringa oleifera
Lam.; Moringaceae), un arbre du Malawi riche en vitamines A et C est développée. Après une brève revue sur l'importance
de la carence en vitamine A et sur les efforts réalisés au Malawi pour réduire son incidence, l'auteur met en évidence le
Moringa comme une solution potentielle au problème. Un cadre pour développer une intervention dans le secteur de la
nutrition grâce au Moringa est décrit dans le but d'une application directe. L'auteur montre que les essais destinés à identifier,
documenter et encourager l'utilisation de plantes indigènes caractérisées par leur haute valeur nutritionnelle constituent des
voies peu coûteuses pour améliorer durablement l'état nutritionnel des populations locales.
Mots-clés. Plantes indigènes, Moringa oleifera, nutrition rurale, carence en vitamine A, Malawi, Afrique.
1. INTRODUCTION
Household food security and nutrition issues are at the
top of the planning agenda in many countries in sub-
Saharan Africa. Uncertainty in rainfall and low
adoption level of improved technologies in crop
production have resulted in low levels of food
availability in many of these countries. In addition,
low levels of income among subsistence farmers
reduce the accessibility to food markets during periods
of decreased crop yields. The seasonality in their
production and availability of main staple foods result
in food insecurity (Sahn, 1989). The introduction of
food crops, such as maize and soybean, in some of
these countries over the past century has to a large
extent replaced the drought resistant crops, such as
sorghum and millets. In some cases, this adds to the
vulnerability of rural households to low and
unpredictable rainfall patterns (Warren et al., 1995;
Marsh, 1998). In addition, this has also resulted in
changes in the composition of diets with increased
consumption of these newly introduced foods among
the rural population over the decades (Delgado, Miller,
1988). While the introduction of exotic plant species
has gradually displaced indigenous food crops in
many local diets, it has also meant a loss of indigenous
knowledge systems related to cultivation and
utilization of these crops (FAO, 1989; Richards, 1990;
Warren et al., 1995). In some cases, with increased
incomes from these new crops, rural subsistence
households tend to depend more on, and demand more
of, these new food crops, thereby increasing their
dependency on market systems. As a result, these
households have gradually become more vulnerable to
market and price fluctuations in obtaining adequate
food to meet their nutritional requirements. While this
is the situation found in most rural populations in sub-
Saharan Africa in attaining adequate calories from
Study 