Micronutrient strategies for marginal areas

Abstract

Micronutrient deficiencies in human nutrition, especially of iron and zinc, occur often in marginal mountain regions. The main cause is poverty, resulting in low nutrient diets. Poor nutrition is one of the main causes of major health problems, especially among children. However, micronutrient deficiencies are also widespread in the farming systems of the mountains, leading to depressed crop yields, and reduced nutrition quality of staple crops. Balanced crop nutrition can at the same time improve crop yields, economy and nutritional quality. Micronutrient disorders is a peculiar and complicated set of problems, and dealing with it requires strategies which take into consideration a range of problems regarding farming systems, knowledge, extension service, technology transfer and economics. The paper presents a discussion of different strategies.