Providing micronutrients through food-based solutions: a key to human and national development

Abstract

To alleviate poverty in developing countries, economies must grow. Without the necessary investments in human capital, national economic growth may not lead to poverty alleviation and socioeconomic development, nor be sustainable. Economic growth that leads to poverty alleviation is fueled by the creative and physical capacities of people. The impact of micronutrient malnutrition is established early in life, leading to growth stunting, lower cognitive abilities, lethargy and poor attention, and greater severity and rates of infection. These effects limit educational progress, physical work capacity and life expectancy, thereby reducing individual lifetime productivity and the aggregate ability of the population to enhance its well-being and participate in national and global markets. The diets of the poor are largely cereal-based, monotonous and lacking in diversity and micronutrients. Animal source foods (ASF) have been an important factor in human evolution, a component of what was an historically diverse diet and an important source of micronutrients. Poverty and micronutrient malnutrition positively influence each other. This poverty micronutrient malnutrition (PMM) trap requires outside inputs to change the state of development in developing countries. Nutrition interventions have been excellent investments in development. More productive interaction between agricultural scientists and nutritionists, supported by a strong federal agenda for development, is needed to break the PMM trap. In the end, food is the means by which nutrients are delivered. Food-based approaches will require long-term commitments, but are more likely to be sustainable because they are part of a development process that leads to long-term economic growth.