Evaluation of the potential dietary impact of the implementation of nutritionally improved crops in rural areas of the department of Cesar (Colombia)

Abstract

In Cesar, 30.7% of children under 5 years of age suffer from deficiencies of vitamin A, along with 13.4% for iron and 57.0% for zinc. Therefore, it is important to guarantee food security in the population through improvements in the nutritional quality of the offered food products. One alternative is the implementation of nutritionally improved crops. The production and consumption of four basic crops in the rural areas of five municipalities were characterized and compared to the implementation of the studied biofortified crops. Surveys regarding the purchase, consumption and production of cassava, bean, maize and rice were given to those responsible for food preparation and/or agricultural production in 90 families and was determined for these food ration consumed per person. In the week prior to the survey, 95.6% of the families consumed bean, 93.3% maize and 88.9% cassava and rice. The products mainly originated from purchases in the local store (bean and rice) or grown by the families (cassava). Cassava and maize were most commonly cultivated (71.1%), followed by bean (56.7%), maize (32.1%), and rice (2.2%). A 61.6% of the cultivated cassava, 23.5% of the maize, and 26.4% of the bean were destined for self-consumption, while the rest was sold or traded. Looking at the difference between the nutritional content of the biofortified products and the traditional and eating habits indicated that the substitution of the traditional varieties with the biofortified crops represented a possible intake increase of 44.59 mg/person-day of iron, 24.05 mg/person-day of zinc, and 1.62 mg/person-day of vitamin A. The substitution with and exclusive consumption of biofortified crops would contribute 199, 169, and 77% iron, zinc, and vitamin A based on the estimated average requirement. Due to their potential nutritional impact, the study of the adaptability and acceptability of biofortified crops is recommended.