Global Legume Researchers Meeting

Achieving Concurrent Agricultural

Productivity and Nutrition Goals
Through Research
Patrick Webb
Feed the Future Nutrition Innovation Lab
May 2014
Athens, Greece
1

Twin pillars of USAID Feed the Future:

Accelerate agriculture growth through improved
agricultural productivity, expanded markets and trade
in vulnerable areas.
Improve nutritional status of individuals through
access to diverse quality foods and by strengthening
prevention/treatment of undernutrition.

Lancet Series 2013

Undernutrition in all its forms is responsible for
45% of all under five child deaths, representing
more than 3 million deaths each year.
160 million children <5 years of age still stunted.

Source: Black et al. (2013) Lancet series II

3

But, thats only a 20% reduction, leaving 80% of the

problem to be solved!
Recent global average rate of reduction in stunting
has been -2.1% per year.
But in 34 countries with highest rates of stunting
average was just -1.7% per year.

Cowpea enriched porridge provides

another opportunity for value addition
that can significantly improve infant
and child nutrition.
USAID RFP March 2013

WFP NUTRITION POLICY

(January 2012)
The traditional food basket contains a cereal,
pulses, oil, salt and a fortified blended food.

10

Developing country legume/pulse net supply

Developing
country
production

2012

2009

1998

1985

1975

1961

Tonnes

Yes, we need research on how to

3
promote higher, better, more resilient,
sustained
levels of legume production!
1

Source: FAOSTAT

11

Higher calorie intake has improved nutrition and health.

CGIAR (1996) Annual Report 1995-96

Merely producing more food does not ensure food

security or improved nutrition. (Herforth (2012) World Bank)
Agriculture interventions do not always contribute to
positive nutritional outcomes. (FAO 2012)

Cultivar
selection,
breeding

Multiplication,
marketing

Farm adoption

Upstream
Agronomy

Improved
nutrition

Household
income

Midstream Improved
Value-chainnutrient supply

Household
consumption

Downstream
Nutrition

14

Child nutrition
improved
(but less than
expected)

10% rise in calories

= 2.4% fall in
undernutrition

Net
return/day of
labor X3

Net rise in
real income
13%/hh

10% income rise

= 4.8% rise in
calorie supply

Higher
productivity

Higher income,
consumption

Higher labor
and inputs

New
crop

Source: von Braun et al. (1989)

Neglected biological mechanisms

Opportunity
costs of time
Gendered
control of
income

Potential
Potential
Income
Nutrition
Confounders
Confounders

Uses of
income from
agriculture
Entry barriers
Antinutrients
(participation)

16

Mycotoxins and legumes

Biochemical analysis presented that Aspergillus flavus and
Fusarium oxysporum decreased protein content, carbohydrates,
fat, fibers and ash compared with un-infected legume seeds.
Embaby and Abdel-Galil (2006) Jou. Applied Sci. Res.

A majority of observational studies has found strong

associations between aflatoxin exposure and stunted fetal,
infant, and child growth.
Leroy (2013) IFPRI
http://s3.amazonaws.com/readers/2011/01/18/pnutsd1b_1.jpg

17

Iron absorption studies:

Rwandan women with low iron status.
Human iron absorption from beans high in polyphenols
Iron
27%
absorbed
lower (P<0.01)
from biofortified
than in from
beans
lowno
polyphenol
higher than
beans.
normal
beans: indicating that efficacious iron biofortification may be

difficult
i.e. iron
to achieve
absorption
in beans
from low
rich polyphenol
in [phytatesbeans
and polyphenols].
= 4.7%
Absorption from high polyphenol beans = 3.4%.

Source: Petry et al. (2012) Common Bean Has Limited

Potential as a Vehicle for Iron Biofortification (Jou. Nutr.)

Source: Maredia 2012

19

Source: Maredia 2012

20

Conclusions
1. Yes, legumes can support improved nutrition. But legume
researchers need to help empirically demonstrate it.
2. We all need more honesty about feasible contributions to
nutrition, and rigor (appropriate study designs/methods).
3. More explicit logical framework and value-chain analyses
needed to identify most cost-effective contributions of
legumes to nutrition.

21