Cultivating trees on farms enhances dietary vitamins in rural Malawi
In a recent study published in Conservation Letters, researchers have emphasized the significance of considering nutrition alongside calories in agricultural policies. The study, which tracked nearly 1,000 households in Malawi over a 10-year period, discovered that families who had trees on their farms consumed more fruits and vegetables than those without trees.
The study, conducted using data from the World Bank's Living Standards Measurement Study, revealed that rural Malawians averaged only 51 grams (1.8 ounces) of fruit per person each day, falling short of the World Health Organization's recommendation of eating 400 grams (14 ounces, or five servings) of fruits and vegetables daily. Despite this, the study found a 3% increase in vegetable consumption among families with trees on their farms compared with those without.
Trees offer four main ways to enhance diets: direct consumption of fruits, improving soil quality, protecting fields from extreme weather, generating income through sales, and providing cooking fuel. The researchers recommend including fruit trees in reforestation programs and ensuring they are culturally appropriate, indigenous species.
The study also suggests fruit tree portfolios, combinations of different tree species producing fruit at different times of the year, as a strategy for addressing seasonal nutrition gaps. However, several obstacles prevent people from planting and maintaining trees on their farms. Land ownership issues, lack of technical knowledge about tree care, the expense and labor required for tree planting, and trees being cut down for fuel are all challenges identified in the study.
The researchers stress that while the effects on nutrition found in the study were small, they demonstrate that trees on farms can contribute to better nutrition. They also criticize current tree-planting initiatives across Africa, which often focus on fast-growing species for carbon storage but overlook food-producing trees.
To address this, the study's authors recommend incentivizing family farms and small-scale farms to value the labor that goes into diverse, biodiversity-rich farms. They suggest shifting agricultural policies to support diverse, nutritious crops and encourage the inclusion of fruit trees in Africa's reforestation programs.
The decline in fruit and vegetable consumption over the 10-year study period was attributed to rising food prices, currency devaluation, and climate change. The researchers suggest that by addressing these issues and promoting tree-based farming, it is possible to improve nutrition and food security for rural communities in Malawi and beyond.
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