Zaazi: About 150 women from five communities in the Savelugu Municipality have been trained in improved food preparation practices for indigenous leafy vegetables, to help preserve essential micronutrients and contribute to addressing hidden hunger amongst women and children. The participants, drawn from Zaazi, Libga, Moglaa, Yizegu, and Bihinaayili communities, took part in nutrition education and practical cooking demonstrations to promote healthier food preparation, improve dietary diversity, and enhance the nutritional quality of household meals.
According to Ghana News Agency, the women were introduced to the Four-Star Diet and the importance of dietary diversity and hidden hunger. Emphasis was placed on common micronutrient deficiencies and their potential effects on child growth, development, learning, and immunity, as well as the health and wellbeing of women, especially pregnant and breastfeeding women. The training included different recipes and practical ways of incorporating indigenous leafy vegetables into regular household meals to improve dietary diversity and micronutrient intake.
Meals prepared during the demonstration included nutritious Bra (Roselle) soup served with Tuo Zaafi (TZ), improved Ayoyo (Jute Mallow) soup with TZ/banku, improved Aleefu (Amaranth) stew with vegetable rice, and Tubani enriched with Aleefu. Locally available natural spices and ingredients were used in preparing these meals.
The day's training, organized by the Centre for Sustainable Rural Agriculture and Development (CSRAD) at Zaazi in the Northern Region, formed part of the implementation of the Nature-Plus Project (Nature-based Pathway to Sustainable Production of Amaranths using a One Health Approach). The two-year project, funded by The Conservation, Food, and Health Foundation, is promoting nature-based farming methods, including soil solarisation and the use of Black Soldier Fly (BSF) frass, to support the sustainable production of amaranth and other indigenous leafy vegetables and improve their nutritional value through biofortification.
Through nature-based solutions that do not rely on chemical fertilizers and pesticides, the project seeks to contribute to improved environmental and human health. The project aims to help rural women and households in the northern part of the country improve access to nutritious foods, address dietary imbalances, increase dietary diversity, and improve micronutrient intake as part of efforts to address hidden hunger amongst women and young children.
Dr. Michael Kermah, the Executive Director of CSRAD and Project Lead, during the training, said the nutrition education component was informed by findings from a recent household survey conducted by CSRAD involving 240 households across 27 rural communities. He stated that the survey found that diets in the communities were largely cereal-based, with limited dietary diversity and relatively low consumption of several micronutrient-rich foods, including fruits and animal-source foods such as eggs, milk, and other dairy products.
Dr. Kermah explained that indigenous leafy vegetables such as amaranth and jute mallow provided an important and practical opportunity to improve dietary diversity and micronutrient intake, adding that they were commonly consumed by the households and contained important vitamins and minerals. He emphasized that growing nutritious indigenous leafy vegetables was just the first step, noting that the household nutrition survey also identified several sub-optimal post-harvest and culinary practices that could reduce the nutritional benefits of the vegetables.
Dr. Kermah urged the participants to apply the knowledge gained from the training in their homes to help preserve the nutritional value of the indigenous leafy vegetables they grew and prepared for their families.
Madam Gertrude Latifa Accrachie, the Principal Nutrition Officer at the Tamale Regional Hospital, who led the nutrition education session, highlighted the gap between knowledge and practice in food handling among participants, emphasizing the need for them to translate the knowledge gained into daily food preparation habits. She encouraged the women to establish backyard gardens, especially during the dry season, to ensure a steady supply of fresh indigenous leafy vegetables.
Ms. Accrachie touched on the effects of poor diet, noting that micronutrient deficiency, commonly referred to as hidden hunger, remained a major public health concern, especially in the northern part of the country. She said micronutrients were essential for effective growth, good eyesight, blood formation, and brain development, and deficiencies in nutrients such as iron, iodine, and zinc could have serious health consequences.
Madam Fadila Mohamed, a participant from the Moglaa community, expressed her appreciation for the training, stating it had helped her acquire new knowledge and skills in preparing Bra soup and other indigenous leafy vegetable-based foods. She said, "I have learned how to cook Bra soup, and I have learned new ways of cooking it," adding that she would apply the lessons in preparing meals for her family at home.