Download Nutrition and Sustainable development Armenia

Nutrition and Sustainable
development
Armenia: experience of Amaranth
growing
Elena Manvelyan, MD, PhD
Nutrition, health and human rights

“It is right of everyone to have access
to safe and nutritious food, consistent
with the right to adequate food and the
fundamental right of everyone to be
free from hunger". Rome Declaration
on World Food Security (World Food
Summit, 1996)
Armenia: Background information

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Population: 3.2 millions – 33.4% rural
population Area: 29,743 km2
GDP per person: 503.6 USD Capital:
Yerevan
Economic features of the last
decade
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Unemployment rate: 30%-35%
55% of population live behind the level
of poverty 23% live in utter poverty
Extremely poor population 16%
Proportion of population below
minimum level of dietary energy
consumption 14.4%Average salary:
$15-20 per month
Minimal consumer basket: $ 80
UNICEF & WFP survey on
nutritional status/Armenia

Stunting (low height for age): 9.1% in
urban areas & 15.5% in rural areas
Anemia: 26% of children aged 12-23
months & 25% of children aged 24-59
months
“Amaranth/Improvement of
Nutrition and Health Status of
Pregnant Women and Children
with body weight deficiency”
The pilot project developed by NGO
“Armenian Women for Health and Healthy
Environment” (AWHHE)
GOAL

To improve the general health status
and the quality of life of vulnerable
groups of Armenian population and to
assist them to attain financial
sustainability.
Objectives
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To strengthen the capacity of rural
women in developing and
implementing income generating
activities
To improve general health and nutrition
status of pregnant women and children
(continued)
Objectives
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To raise awareness in women,
community groups and professionals
about the nutritional value of
amaranth, as well as the potential for
sustainable agricultural development
To introduce amaranth in the diet of
the population
Amaranth contains:

High levels of proteins and amino
acids (especially amino acids lysine
and methionine). Higher than other
plants levels of carbohydrates,
calcium, iron, dietary fibers and
vitamins. Approximately 48 % of very
valuable starch.
“ EcoAmaranth”
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Goal
Improvement of quality of life of
rural population in Armenia through
introduction and popularization of new
agricultural crop amaranth
Objectives:
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Continue amaranth growing activities
Improve nutrition of children from
socially vulnerable families and having
body weight deficiencies Improve
nutrition of persons ill with
Tuberculosis
Comparative data of amaranth growing
expenses at three agricultural seasons
from socially vulnerable families
(during 5 months)
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•Children on full daily dose (30 g) of
amaranth gained on average 1kg of
weight monthly
•Children eating half daily dose of
amaranth gained 700-800 g monthly
•Children eating small amounts of
amaranth gained 400-500g monthly
•Children from control group (did not
eat amaranth) gained 250-300g
monthly
Improvement of nutrition of
persons ill with Tuberculosis
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Overall: 32 patients Duration: 5
months Amount of amaranth flour
per month: 1,400 g Age groups: 15
to 30 years old – 20 patients 36 to 45
years old – 6 patients 51 to 71 years
old – 6 patients
Results of nutrition of 32
patients with Tuberculosis
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23 patents had increased their weight:
11 patients 1– 3 kg 9 patients 4 – 6 kg
3 patients 9 – 11 kg Overall, general
health status of majority of the patients
has improved.
Further ideas on amaranth project
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1.Continue growing amaranth
2.Continue studies on its health effects
3.Continue education campaign in the villages
4.Marketing activities and advertising campaign
5.Make a film about amaranth for its further
popularization
6.Identify potential partners for establishment of the
network of enterprises on distribution/sell of
amaranth production.
Acknowledgements
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The entire staff of the NGO AWHHE is
deeply grateful to the organization
WECF and all those Private funds in
the Netherlands who funded the
project and by their invaluable support
made possible to implement the
project activities.