Zambia and other low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) across sub-Saharan Africa are expected to experience increased rates of chronic malnutrition in both the short- and long-term due to factors associated with, for example, climate change, food insecurity, and persistent poverty. Consequently, it is also expected that the nutritional status of infants and young children (IYC) living in extreme poverty in Zambia and other LMIC—which is already precarious—will likely be further negatively impacted. This is of great concern as chronic malnutrition in childhood—which manifests as stunting (low height-for-age) and cognitive delay among IYC—can have long-term effects on cognition, schooling, health, and economic productivity across the lifespan. Such outcomes can impact national development and country-level benchmarks such as meeting Sustainable Development Goals.
The first 1,000 days of life—the critical period of cognitive and physical development from conception until 2 years of age—is a key intervention point for supplementing the diets of at-risk IYC. Dried fish powder (DFP) made from pelagic small fish is an animal-source food high in protein and micronutrients. Although widely consumed across Zambia and sub- Saharan Africa, DFP is critically underutilized as a resource to reduce persistent rates of stunting among at-risk IYC in Zambia and sub-Saharan Africa.
To harness the power of DFP to address the critical need to fill protein and micronutrient gaps among at-risk IYC and other household members, the research team’s previous Fish Innovation Lab activity, FishFirst! Zambia: Research for Development and Scaling Staple-Fish Products for Enhanced Nutrition in the First 1,000 Days of Life, conducted a nutrient analysis of DFP made from Kapenta (Limnothrissa miodon and Stolothrissa tanganicae) and developed and tested Complementary Food for Africa + dried fish powder (ComFA+Fish)—a novel protein/micronutrient blend whose key ingredient is locally sourced DFP. The promising results from FishFirst! Zambia feeds into this activity called Scaling Fish Powder in Zambia. The research team will take an integrated approach to improving nutrition among at-risk IYC/households in fishing communities in rural Zambia by examining the acceptability and convenience of using ComFA+Fish, the availability of ingredients, and affordability. Additionally, the team will incorporate knowledge-sharing about nutrition and hygiene practices for food safety and better-quality meals while considering sustainable approaches for postharvest loss reduction. The research will be conducted among four groups vital to scaling DFP/ComFA+Fish in rural fishing communities.
Activity objectives:
- Conduct ComFA+Fish Nutrition Learning Event.
- Conduct ComFA+Fish WASH/Fish Processing Learning Event.
- Conduct ComFA+Fish Sensory Panel IV.
- Conduct ComFA+Fish Sensory Panel V.
- Analyze Learning Event pre-test/post-test results and analyze Sensory Panel results.
Planned outcomes:
- Improve nutrition and food security among at-risk IYC/households in rural Zambia.
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Ground-proof the viability of scaling DFP/ComFA+Fish, including ComFA+Fish Instant Plain Porridge and ComFA+Fish Instant Vanilla Porridge, among adults/youth in rural Zambia who are community leaders (e.g., local chiefs, traditional healers, headmen/women), fishers, fish processors, marketers, and adult end-consumers/household decision-makers as well as infant end-consumers.
- Provide evidence that DFP/ComFA+Fish are strategically well-placed to address protein and micronutrient gaps among at-risk IYC/households in rural Zambia.
- Pin-point strategic community-level entry points important for scaling DFP/ComFA+Fish in rural Zambia that can be applied to other LMIC across sub-Saharan Africa.
Using an integrated food systems approach, these plans support enhanced nutrition among at-risk IYC/households through improving the acceptability, availability, affordability, and convenience of DFP/ComFA+Fish and increasing knowledge related to the nutritional value of DFP/ComFA+Fish among community leaders, fishers, processors, marketers, adult end-consumers, and IYC end-consumers. Additionally, the Scaling Fish Powder in Zambia team plans to develop and disseminate technologies, practices, and approaches that reduce pressure on fisheries by providing training on improving water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) related to fish processing and storage to reduce postharvest loss, improve food safety, and increase profitability through improved fish products, including high-quality DFP/ComFA+Fish.
Resources
Technical Brief: Overview of ComFA+Fish Instant Porridge Macronutrients
