Abstract

In the district of Ouidah of Benin, widespread malnutrition persists along with poor public health conditions. The Centre Régional pour le Développement et la Santé (CREDESA) is leading an ongoing community health project in this area, which concentrates on help for needy people. A project aimed at improving the competence of the Centre in this activity is being granted financial support by the Health Sciences Division of IDRC (3-P-88-0205). To bring about lasting improvements in the health status and nutrition of the population, it is necessary that the food system's productivity be increased and job opportunities be created. This project will demonstrate the interrelationships between factors affecting the population's health and nutrition. Using the "Rapid Rural Appraisal" methodology it will study, with the involvement of the local population, the obstacles encountered and opportunities offered by increasing agricultural production and by an improvement in the post-harvest activities. Researchers will examine local markets; socioeconomic forces; the state of nutrition at the household level; and existing and potential management resources.

Post-Project Summary

A multidisciplinary team of agronomists, economists, physicians, nurses, nutritionists and sociologists conducted a study in 23 villages in three different ecological zones in the Ouidah region, using the participatory Rapid Rural Appraisal (RRA) method. The study showed that the availability of basic foodstuffs was poor, with heavy dependence on surrounding markets. Constraints to increasing agricultural output were: poor soil, weed infestation, weather disturbances, predators and limited arable acreage. Opportunities identified included market gardening, fish farming and diversification of commercial activity. The study also showed that household nutrition was unsatisfactory. On average, one child in four from birth to age 3 was malnourished. Community self-management structures were almost non-existent, and cooperative organizations lacked structure. However, there was significant enthusiasm for actions to improve production and post-production systems and for health and nutrition education. A seminar to review the findings was held in Pahou in November 1990. Members of the Comité technique de collaboration intersectorielle (CTCI), food safety experts, officials from the ministries of health, education and rural development, and representatives of the United Nations Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) took part. The work continued in a second phase (91-0144).

Recipient Institution(s)