Diet, nutrition and agricultural development in Swaziland. 1. Agricultural ecology and nutritional status

Despite the importance of diet and nutrition as indicators of household well‐being, few agricultural development projects have incorporated such concerns into their research or project objectives. This paper presents results of a nutrition and food consumption survey carried out by the Swaziland Cropping Systems Project as part of its research to assess conditions and constraints faced by small farmers. Anthropometric measurements show stunting to be the most common nutritional problem in preschool children, while women show significant rates of both obesity and undernutrition. Differences in nutritional status correspond to regional differences in both climate and economic opportunities.

Key words:

• Food consumption
• nutrition
• agricultural development
• Southern Africa