Education and Training for Sustainable Agriculture and Nutrition in East Africa (EaTSANE)
| dc.contributor.author | Lydiah Waswa, Samuel Mwonga, Thomas Pircher, Christine Lambert, Sahrah Fischer, Irmgard Jordan, Johny Mugisha, Maria Glas de Temel, Jeninah Karungi-Tumutegyereize, Margaret Kabahenda, Verena Bitzer, Mona Dhamankar, Ineke Aquarius, Ingrid Sinnige, Thomas Hilger and Georg Cadisch. | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-09-25T09:21:19Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2021-10-13 | |
| dc.description.abstract | Food insecurity and malnutrition remain serious challenges for many farming households in Africa who continue to witness reductions in crop yields accelerated by inadequate farming practices. While nutrition-sensitive agriculture and diverse diets have been identified as strategies for improving nutrition, little is known about the interlinkages between consumption and production strategies and the required pre-conditions and incentives for farmers to engage in diversified crop production. The understanding of crop diversity and nutrition requires a food system approach that acknowledges these dependencies and the role of the entire value chain. Using a participatory-action-learning approach, the EaTSANE project aimed at implementing sustainable farming practices and improved diets of farming households in Teso South Sub-County, Kenya, and Kapchorwa District, Uganda through diversified production and diets in the food system. The objectives of the project were: (i) identifying and promoting the adoption of improved farming practices that promote healthier soils and production of more diverse and nutritious crops, (ii) improving access of value chain actors to inputs and services, their links, and reducing food losses through improved handling and processing practices, and (iii) enhancing consumers’ food culture, resulting in healthier diets and more equitable distribution of food in households. The project was implemented through four work packages (WPs). WP1 evaluated diversified farming practices for improved soils. Three-strata-forage-cropping system demonstrations that integrated maize, legumes, and leafy vegetables using conservation agriculture principles were used. To promote vertical gardens practices, secondary school youths were trained in vertical gardens technologies and followed up to assess the dissemination of these technologies to their households. In WP2, farm households and food markets surveys were conducted and farmers’ decision to grow nutrient-dense crops and how this impacted household food security, local market dynamics, gender relations in food value chains and gender consumption gap assessed. In WP3, food culture and nutrition were assessed in selected villages using Focus Group Discussions (FGD) and Trials of Improved Practises (TIPs). During FGD, perceived availability, utilization, hindering, and facilitating factors to increased consumption of vegetables, fruits, and legumes, and household decision-making on food processing and distribution were assessed. Tips were conducted to identify drivers and barriers for dietary diversification, meal preparation, infant and young child feeding, improved intra-household food distribution, seasonal food availability, and sun-drying of vegetables. Based on training needs identified from WP1-WP3 activities, communication, education, training, and policy dialogue materials were developed through the co-creation process with stakeholders in joint experimentation and learning in WP4. Results from the project indicated that the three-strata-forage cropping system increased crop diversity and improved yields. Farmers benefited from diverse diets attained through crop diversity and introduced nutrient-dense crops. The youth extension approach was effective in disseminating vertical garden technologies to households and thus potentially enhanced access to vegetables. Gender-sensitive value-chain platforms for nutrient-dense crops were established. Participants in TIPs showed a high willingness to adopt messages tested including adopting nutrient-dense recipes, diverse diets, and sun-drying of vegetables and fruits, resulting in improved diets. Nutrition education messages for improved dietary diversity, feeding practices, and meal preparation techniques for healthy families were generated. Communication, education, training, and policy dialogue materials including seven practice notes and the “Happy Family Board Game” educational tool which reveal the interconnectedness of household decision-making in agriculture, nutrition, and value chains were developed for wider dissemination and capacity building in applying sustainable production practices and improved diets and value chain enabling environments. The action research approach facilitated farmers’ behavior change towards more sustainable farming, crop diversification, and improved diets. Close collaborations among stakeholders is needed to facilitate the creation of niches in which farmers and researchers contextualized the research activities for often complex variables within the farmer environment. | |
| dc.description.sponsorship | NRF | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://repository.nrf.go.ke/handle/123456789/1632 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.title | Education and Training for Sustainable Agriculture and Nutrition in East Africa (EaTSANE) | |
| dc.type | Presentation |
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