Background: Fortification is the practice of deliberately increasing the content of an essential micronutrient, i.e. vitamins and minerals (including trace elements) in a food, so as to improve the nutritional quality of the food supply and provide a public health benefit with minimal risk to health. Bio fortification is the process by which the nutritional quality of food crops is improved through agronomic practices, conventional plant breeding, or modern biotechnology.

Methodology:The main aims of the Economic Development and Value Chain Project are to increase the economic capacity for agricultural producers and reduce chronic malnutrition in children under five years in target areas by 2016. HIB were chosen for their nutritional value (73% higher in iron than other beans) and their high yields. commune with 1,818 households interviewed and anthropometric data collected; Key Informant Interviews and Focus Group Discussions with key stakeholders. 

Results: Chronic malnutrition prevalence amongst children under five has not reduced markedly between baseline and endline, although there was a small decrease of 3.6%. The decrease in the prevalence of underweight children was bigger (just over nine percent). While improvements in physical nutrition measures was minimal, there were definite changes in nutrition practices introduced by the Project and beneficiaries appear to have understood and be motivated to have a high level of dietary diversity. Over 60% of children 6-59 months consumed iron rich food daily. Although levels were good in the control area as well, the main source of iron rich food in project areas was from fish, representing a more sustainable nutrition practice than control areas whose main source was a nutrition blend distributed for free by an NGO. Consumption of HIB at the household level was lower than expected in project areas, explained by the timing of the survey, which was before harvesting of HIB had been completed and perhaps also because farmers prefer to keep the HIB to replant as seeds rather than consume. Beneficiaries in project areas were more likely to have a kitchen garden and were more likely to provide vegetables from their kitchen garden to their children under five years of age. One project component in particular, a crèche system for working families to leave their children, was consistently praised by stakeholders and beneficiaries as a great source of information about good nutrition practices for their children. As well, around half of households had been involved at some level in community nutrition related activities and there was positive recognition from stakeholders of the community mobilisers approach to influence community nutrition practice.