Diet Diversification: A Food Based Approach to Control Micronutrient Deficiencies in Morocco’s Tifnoute River Valley

Apps, Jodi

Diet Diversification: A Food Based Approach to Control Micronutrient Deficiencies in Morocco’s Tifnoute River Valley

Persistent URL

http://hdl.handle.net/10456/33489

Author(s)

Apps, Jodi

Date Issued

April 1, 2012

Abstract

Micronutrient deficiencies affect more than two billion people in the world, primarily in developing countries. As a silent form of hunger, they are unnoticeable to the naked eye, yet cause serious mental and physical damage if left untreated. Resulting from the inadequate intake of necessary nutrients, micronutrient deficiencies disproportionately affect the poor and impoverished. The Tifnoute River Valley in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco is by no means impoverished, but it is a very isolated and rural ensemble of villages. Harvests last less than half of the year and incomes are small. With the assistance of the High Atlas Foundation, incomes have risen; however, as incomes continue to rise, communities show interest in discontinuing their subsistence agriculture regime in favor of relying on the profits returned from selling fruit from their fruit trees. In addition iodine, iron, and vitamin A deficiencies are already present in the Valley. To ensure these deficiencies aren’t exacerbated by market fluctuations, this paper proposes the High Atlas Foundation take a food based approach, including diet diversification, fortification, and education. This combination will provide the Valley with nutrient rich crops to incorporate into their current agriculture system as well as knowledge and skills to sustainably increase their profits through value adding processes and preserve crops, extending availability into seasons of scarcity. This approach will increase community resilience by increasing crop variety, profit potential, and crop availability through preservation.

Honors

Environmental Science, 2012

First Reader(s)

Pallant, Eric T.