[pronut-hiv] WFPs food choices

["Ted Greiner" <tedgreiner@yahoo.com>]

Someone with more knowledge than I should address
this, but I think WFP is aware of the nutrition issues
raised here. I think in real life they deal with all
kinds of very difficult problems; I was just hearing
about a situation where local millers gouge refugees
for a high proportion of the foods they get but losses
in moving flour instead of grain are larger. 

>From what I understand, economic issues make some of
the suggested choices impossible (they already have
trouble getting acceptable calories to the ones who
desperately need the food) and poor storage qualities
others (whole grain flour spoils much faster). Small
beans or lentils where available and acceptable sound
like a good idea though.

Ted Greiner
PATH



"Kristof & Stacia Nordin"wrote:

That's great that WFP is providing food to homes 
affected with HIV, this is also happening in 
Malawi, not just through WFP, but other organizations 
as well.

What foods are they using in the Congo program, 
I've been trying to 
encourage the Malawi organizations to provide 
appropriate choices as some of the organizations 
were providing white flour, sugar and oil (if used 
for frying), all foods that are not the best 
choices for HIV infection.

* Whole Grains, Nuts, Small beans (for easy 
cooking or sprouting), Oilseeds 
(like sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, etc.) are some 
nice dry good choices.  WFP 
Malawi has been able to aquire Bulgar Wheat flour 
mixed with Soy flour which is a better 
nutritional mix (could also be replaced with any whole

grain flour mixed with a legume, nut or oilseed 
powder).

* Local Fruits, Vegetables (like pumpkins or 
gourds), Roots, Avocadoes, 
Coconuts are some good fresh choices but 
transport could be an issue that 
needs consideration (we are a pretty smart bunch 
of people though and could overcome most barriers 
with some creative brainstorming!).

Some food is probably better than nothing in some 
cases, but we can always 
improve our programs along the way.  I note that 
the Congo program is 
developing a nutrition program to target the 
malnourished.

Stacia
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Stacia Nordin, RD
Nutrition Consultant
Specialist in Sustainable Food & Nutrition 
Security and HIV/AIDS


Ted Greiner, PhD
Senior Nutritionist
PATH 
Suite 800
1800 K St NW
Washington DC 20006 USA
tel +1 202 822-0033
www.path.org

Personal website: http://www.geocities.com/tedgreiner