Agricultural development and nutrition among rural populations: A case study of the middle valley in Senegal

Food production in Sahelian countries is very dependent on erratic rainfall. To eliminate this climatic risk, modern irrigated agriculture was introduced and spread into the Senegal Valley in the course of the last thirty years. In such a context of changes in farming systems and food consumption patterns, a nutritional and dietary study was conducted three different times at six month intervals among 37 families of a village community which farmed a recently established irrigated area. Women played an important part in agricultural tasks. Average food consumption met the recommended intake for energy but deficiencies persist for certain nutrients. The prevalence of malnutrition was high, with 16% stunting and 13% wasting among children between the ages of 0 and 10 years; a third of the older children and 20% of the adults presented an emaciated appearance. Rice production has increased food security but, in comparison with the situation in the valley 35 years ago, nutritional gains were slight and there were no differences in the malnutrition rate of preschool children from that observed nine years earlier in a non‐irrigated neighboring area. The findings suggest increase in food production following introduction of irrigation without improvement of hygienic conditions is not sufficient to ameliorate the nutritional status of the community. Consequences of added work load in habitual physical activity need to be considered, particularly when, as is the case here, food production is in part the result of efforts of women.

Key words:

• Food consumption
• malnutrition
• nutritional status
• physical activity
• irrigated agriculture
• Senegal
• Sahel
• women's roles