Nutrition considerations in a cassava production program for Guyana

A government agricultural program aimed principally at partial substitution of improved wheat by locally produced cassava flour was evaluated for its nutrition implications. A brief survey and in‐depth study of areas identified for cassava production, revealed that the prevalence of energy‐protein malnutrition among children under three years old was low. This was attributed to extensive breast feeding which appeared to protect the nutritional status of even the poor children. The protein‐energy ratio of their diets was generally adequate for protection against protein deficiency and the cassava production program appeared likely to improve rather than jeopardize their nutrition. This effect was judged likely on account of the evidence that larger farms, which meant higher incomes, were associated with higher expenditures on food and, in the circumstances, higher household energy and protein intakes. It is suggested that if nutrition considerations are explicitly introduced into the program, activities would be directed towards assisting the smallest farmers and guaranteeing them adequate incomes from cassava production. This would lead to nutritional improvement in their households and consequently to positive nutrition impact of the program.

Key words:

• cassava
• Guyana
• food consumption
• food planning
• anthropometry
• dietary protein‐energy ratio