In many African households, pots bubble with maize porridge, soya beans roast in the pan, and sweet potatoes bake in the oven.
These humble crops, maize, soya bean, and orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP), are staples in our diets. But when combined with a simple age-old process called fermentation, they can become a powerful tool in the fight against childhood malnutrition.
A PERSISTENT CHALLENGE
Childhood malnutrition remains a critical public health issue in low- and middle-income nations, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, including South Africa. Rates of stunting, wasting, and vitamin A deficiency remain alarmingly high, even after years of interventions.
While breastfeeding exclusively for the first six months provides all the nutrition an infant needs, from six months onwards, complementary foods must be introduced alongside continued breastfeeding.
Here lies the problem:…
