Nutrition and health problems are widespread especially in underdeveloped areas. This includes malnutrition — undernutrition, overweight and obesity. Research shows that lack of access to healthy and nutritious food staples is one of the major contributing factors to malnutrition.
Evidently, small-scale farmers in rural areas positively contribute to the nutrition and health status of the world’s population as they play a huge part in food production process. They are vital in delivering key nutrients in the global food supply. However, studies show that some rural segments in different regions are underdeveloped and facing significant challenges because of poor investments on rural development.
With this, leaders around the world need to take actions and focus on developing the rural sector and investing in agriculture and rural farming. This will improve nutrition and health status of the world population and will help achieve sustainable development that is essential in the future’s food system and security. (Fanzo, 2018).
Reference: Jessica Fanzo. (2018). The role of farming and rural development as central to our diets. Physiology & Behavior. Volume 193, Part B, Pages 291-297, ISSN 0031-9384, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2018.05.014. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0031938418302415)
Photo Reference: Xinhua (http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-11/03/c_139488469.htm)
Article contributed by Vincent Allen Fernandez, ComDev Asia intern