Rural Malian women’s practices and perceptions regarding whole grain consumption studied

Published on:

January 1, 2018

Community of Practice:

West Africa

A study related to the CCRP-funded An Be Jigi project (2006-2014) on nutrition has been published. The An Be Jigi project was led by Helen Keller International in Mali in cooperation with Institut d’Economie Rurale (IER) and the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT – Mali). Malnutrition is widespread in Mali, especially among young children in rural areas. The team worked to prevent malnutrition by increasing iron and zinc uptake through various strategies including selection of iron/zinc rich sorghum and millet varieties, change of cooking and feeding practices and better nutrition education among women farmers. “This study of women’s practices and perceptions regarding use of whole grain tells a story of changing consumption habits being shaped by culture, technology, knowledge, and available resources. Malian women are agents of change and care in their adoption of new techniques and recipes for the improved nutrition of young children and households. “Find the full article here: http://facetsjournal. com/doi/10. 1139/facets-2017-0033Read about the AnBeJigi project here: http://www. ccrp. org/projects/be-jigi-iiPhoto above: The group of women and children enjoy a nutritious meal. Courtesy of Jérôme Bossuet, ICRISAT; An Be Jigi project.