MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, ANIMAL INDUSTRY AND FISHERIES
FOOD AND NUTRITION HANDBOOK
FOR EXTENSION WORKERS
OCTOBER 2015
,MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, ANIMAL INDUSTRY AND FISHERIES
FOOD AND NUTRITION HANDBOOK
FOR EXTENSION WORKERS
OCTOBER 2015
FANTA III
FOOD AND NUTRITION
T E C H N I C A L A S S I S TA N C E
Fo o d a n d N u t r i t i o n H a n d b o o k fo r E x te n s i o n Wo r ke rs i
,Foreword
T he overall objective of the National Agriculture Policy is to achieve
food and nutrition security and improve household income. Food
and nutrition security encompasses issues of food availability, access and
utilization for maximum health benefits and social economic develop-
ment. This can be achieved through enhanced agricultural productivity,
proper farm management, agro-processing, marketing, community
awareness, enhanced community and household capacity to withstand
shocks and adapting appropriate practices that ensure better food utili-
zation, for instance proper home care, personal hygiene, food prepara-
tion and feeding practices. Improved food utilization can be achieved
through a deliberate effort to integrate nutrition in all agriculture devel-
opment programs.
Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) supports
households and communities to increase access to and consumption
of diversified foods from their own production or purchase throughout
the year. In addition, the Ministry plays an important role in reducing
post-harvest losses and addressing issues related to women’s workload
within households. All this is aimed at improving nutrition among house-
holds and communities and is in line with the Uganda Nutrition Action
Plan (UNAP 2011–2016).
However, malnutrition remains one of the main health and economic
problems facing our country and has negative consequences on produc-
tivity. The productivity lost when agriculture workers take time off to
deal with malnutrition related illnesses or deaths in their families is enor-
mous. For example, the loss caused by iron deficiency anaemia in adults
alone is US$34 million worth of productivity (PROFILES, 2012).
This handbook is designed to help extension workers and other service
providers engaged in day-to-day delivery of agricultural extension and
advisory services in communities to understand the link between agricul-
ture, food, nutrition and health. General guidelines on proper selection
of foods to achieve a balanced diet and issues of food safety have been
handled. In addition, examples of recipes for preparation of a variety of
ii Fo o d a n d N u t r i t i o n H a n d b o o k fo r E x te n s i o n Wo r ke rs
, foods for young children from households of different income levels have
been tackled. Detailed recipes for all population categories will be given
in additional guidelines that are yet to be developed by the Ministry. The
knowledge gained from this handbook will help extension workers inte-
grate nutrition in their day-to-day delivery of extension services.
The handbook will help extension workers to:
i. Apply the Essential Nutrition Actions (ENA) at household and the
community levels.
ii. Appreciate the importance of agriculture in improving nutrition and
the implications of malnutrition to agricultural productivity.
iii. Mainstream nutrition in their work plans and routine activities.
Hon. Tress N. Bucyanayandi (MP)
Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries
Fo o d a n d N u t r i t i o n H a n d b o o k fo r E x te n s i o n Wo r ke rs iii
FOOD AND NUTRITION HANDBOOK
FOR EXTENSION WORKERS
OCTOBER 2015
,MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, ANIMAL INDUSTRY AND FISHERIES
FOOD AND NUTRITION HANDBOOK
FOR EXTENSION WORKERS
OCTOBER 2015
FANTA III
FOOD AND NUTRITION
T E C H N I C A L A S S I S TA N C E
Fo o d a n d N u t r i t i o n H a n d b o o k fo r E x te n s i o n Wo r ke rs i
,Foreword
T he overall objective of the National Agriculture Policy is to achieve
food and nutrition security and improve household income. Food
and nutrition security encompasses issues of food availability, access and
utilization for maximum health benefits and social economic develop-
ment. This can be achieved through enhanced agricultural productivity,
proper farm management, agro-processing, marketing, community
awareness, enhanced community and household capacity to withstand
shocks and adapting appropriate practices that ensure better food utili-
zation, for instance proper home care, personal hygiene, food prepara-
tion and feeding practices. Improved food utilization can be achieved
through a deliberate effort to integrate nutrition in all agriculture devel-
opment programs.
Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) supports
households and communities to increase access to and consumption
of diversified foods from their own production or purchase throughout
the year. In addition, the Ministry plays an important role in reducing
post-harvest losses and addressing issues related to women’s workload
within households. All this is aimed at improving nutrition among house-
holds and communities and is in line with the Uganda Nutrition Action
Plan (UNAP 2011–2016).
However, malnutrition remains one of the main health and economic
problems facing our country and has negative consequences on produc-
tivity. The productivity lost when agriculture workers take time off to
deal with malnutrition related illnesses or deaths in their families is enor-
mous. For example, the loss caused by iron deficiency anaemia in adults
alone is US$34 million worth of productivity (PROFILES, 2012).
This handbook is designed to help extension workers and other service
providers engaged in day-to-day delivery of agricultural extension and
advisory services in communities to understand the link between agricul-
ture, food, nutrition and health. General guidelines on proper selection
of foods to achieve a balanced diet and issues of food safety have been
handled. In addition, examples of recipes for preparation of a variety of
ii Fo o d a n d N u t r i t i o n H a n d b o o k fo r E x te n s i o n Wo r ke rs
, foods for young children from households of different income levels have
been tackled. Detailed recipes for all population categories will be given
in additional guidelines that are yet to be developed by the Ministry. The
knowledge gained from this handbook will help extension workers inte-
grate nutrition in their day-to-day delivery of extension services.
The handbook will help extension workers to:
i. Apply the Essential Nutrition Actions (ENA) at household and the
community levels.
ii. Appreciate the importance of agriculture in improving nutrition and
the implications of malnutrition to agricultural productivity.
iii. Mainstream nutrition in their work plans and routine activities.
Hon. Tress N. Bucyanayandi (MP)
Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries
Fo o d a n d N u t r i t i o n H a n d b o o k fo r E x te n s i o n Wo r ke rs iii
