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Benefits of food preparation and processing for creating healthy families and sustainable livelihoods
The normal diets of people in village communities throughout most of the world consist of a cereal or root crop staple food, which provides starchy carbohydrates, together with a source of animal or plant protein, such as meat, milk, fish, beans etc. Vitamins and minerals are provided by leafy vegetables, fruits or nuts, which are often made into a strong-tasting relish to accompany the relatively bland starchy staples. To remain healthy, people need to eat an adequate amount of food, but also ensure that the food contains sufficient amounts of specific nutrients (Figure 2). Because most crops are seasonal, there are times of the year when either gluts can result in high levels of wastage or shortages can arise if adequate measures are not taken to preserve and store the foods. This is particularly important in areas that have a dry season or winter period when crops cannot be grown and animals are slaughtered because of a lack of fodder. In these situations stored dry grains or root crops provide energy; dried, salted or smoked meats, or cheeses provide a source of protein, vitamins and minerals; and processed fruits and vegetables such as pickles, chutneys or dried fruits or leaves provide vitamins and minerals. A few crops, including cassava and some types of beans also contain poisons or anti-nutritional components, which must be removed by processing to make the food safe to eat. FIGURE 2 The uses of nutrients from foods in the body
Where a household processes some of its crops or animals for sale, the additional diversified sources of income provide a greater degree of economic security (Case studies 3 and 4). Other social and economic benefits that can arise from processing include: more efficient use of time and, labour when equipment is used to process crops; and enhanced social standing within the community for groups who run a successful processing operation. Programmes that promote food processing in rural communities can also be used to introduce a wide range of skills that are needed to improve the livelihoods of people in rural communities. Examples include greater confidence and negotiating skills, improved skills in managing income and expenditure, improved understanding of quality requirements of consumers and changes to crop production methods to meet consumer needs. Establishing a processing unit can offer alternative employment opportunities to young people who suffer from lack of access to land. It can also be used to introduce nutrition concepts to mothers' groups, or widen the career horizons of schoolchildren through operating a small food business. As the community is strengthened management skills, machinery repair workshops, market information networks, etc., can each be introduced. The village becomes more financially secure and improvements to schools, medical facilities and other services can follow.
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