[pronut-hiv] Why not use local food and knowledge to rehabilitate moderately malnourished children?

["George Carter" <fiar@verizon.net>]

I think this is a view that should reflect the MAJOR focus of donor  
aid. Rather than insist on production of cash crops, as failed  
policies of the past have done, sustainable and LOCAL approaches make  
sense. Before everyone is forced to grow corn, a stupid monoculture  
approach, to feed the automobiles and trucks of rich nations.

A friend is working on a permaculture project in Nigeria. Not only  
are local foods potentially more nutritious and sustainable, it is  
better for the environment.

Whey protein can be produced from any milk-bearing animal that is  
used in the local culture...so all replies to these queries must  
start by looking around in your "neighborhood" and seeing what is  
available. Imports, Plumpynut--all that should be just the back up  
emergency help, not the primary staple.

Also, please note that my original comment had been "I think  
Plumpynut does remain a bit better than nothing - at least it sounds  
better than that Ensure crap. Hey--in the West you can make garbage  
like that and sell it for an outrageous price--you don't get shot.  
You get rewarded!"

George M. Carter

------ Lungi Lumumba Okoko wrote:

> Dear all,
>
> Why not not use local food and knowledge to rehabilitate moderately
> malnourished children, instead of using food aid (in the form of  
> PlumpyNut
> and others)?
>
> What happens when PlumpyNut or whey protein is no longer available  
> to the
> community? How will they rehabilitate malnourished children if they  
> have
> been taught to think that external food is the cure?
>> [snip]