Beating Iron and Vitamin A Deficiency- NUA45 bean Zimbabwe’s panacea to micro-nutrition deficiency -

Beating Iron and Vitamin A Deficiency-  NUA45 bean Zimbabwe’s panacea to micro-nutrition deficiency

                        World Pulse Day 10 February 

Malnutrition among women and children, particularly micro nutrient deficiency diseases such as stunted growth, anemia, wasting has continued to be a challenge in Zimbabwe. Micro-nutrient deficiency is the lack of minerals such as vitamin A, iron and zinc due to lack of dietary diversity which results in stunted growth, impaired learning in children and maternal deaths.

Statistics show that 5 million people in the country are nutrient deficient with 72% of the country’s children and 61% of women being iron deficient. Meanwhile, Vitamin A deficiency affects 19% of its children under the age of five and 23% of its women. 

“Iron is critical at all stages of human life, but specifically during pregnancy, childhood, and adolescence. The most affected groups are women of childbearing age (15–49 years),” said Fungai Kutyauripo SIRP Nutritionist.

In 2017, Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Health and Child Care made efforts to address the problem of micro-nutrient deficiency through the fortification of basic commodities such as sugar, wheat flour, maize-meal and cooking oil. While these fortified products are readily available for the urban population on supermarkets shelves, the story is different for rural communities who often grow their food. As a result, fortified foods do not find their way to their tables resulting in the bulk of rural communities suffering from micro-nutrient deficiencies.

To address this gap the Smallholder Irrigation Revitalisation programme (SIRP) funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is promoting bio fortified and highly nutritious pulses such as NUA45 in four provinces in Zimbabwe. The main interventions of the programme focus on promoting   cultivation and consumption of NUA45 bean through farmer trainings, hosting seed fairs and providing seed packs for vulnerable smallholder farmers. Bio fortification is the process of conventionally breeding food crops that are rich in micro-nutrients such as zinc, iron and Vitamin A. to vulnerable rural populations. The move is meant to increase production, access and consumption among the 27 500 households benefitting from the SIRP programme.

Rich in iron and zinc, which are essential for the body to make blood, the NUA45 bean is a panacea for vulnerable populations suffering from micro-nutrient deficiency. Iron is essential for physical health, mental wellbeing and brain development in children while addressing anaemia in pregnant women and infants.

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The zinc content in the NUA45 bean makes it ideal for boosting the immune system, wound healing, reproductive health and helps stimulate appetite. Consuming foods rich in the mineral prevents stunting in children.

The bean’s agronomic qualities make it ideal as it grows in most climatic environments, maturing early at just between 80 and 85 days. The variety has an excellent yield at three tonnes per hectare and is tolerant to most diseases such as bean rust, angular leaf spot and bacterial blight. Furthermore, pulses are an affordable source of protein .These attributes make it suitable for our households who are found in the semi-arid beneficiary provinces of Manicaland, Masvingo, Matabeleland South and Midlands which receive limited rainfall due to climate change. 

Speaking at a recently held seed fair an excited Mrs Mary Mandishona, a farmer at Mushandike Irrigation scheme in Masvingo said “I am so happy with the training we received today during the seed fair. The nutrition education we received will improve the adoption rate of producing and consuming iron beans. I now know that the NUA45 bean is nutritious as it provides iron and zinc and can achieve good yields. Thank you for introducing us to this variety”

Mrs Ruth Mahlabhana who grew the bean in her garden last year remarked “NUA45 is a very nutritious and tasty bean. I had never grown this type of bean. When I cook NUA45 my husband and children are eager to eat their meal. I encourage other farmers to grow NUA45 because it is cooks within a short period of time, its tasty, nutritious and the yields are good.”

As SIRP we join the world in commemorating World Pulses Day on the 10 February. This day provides an opportunity to raise awareness of the nutritional benefits of pulses, their contribution toward a world without hunger and role in promoting sustainable food systems.