Modeling cropping strategies to improve human nutrition in Uganda

This paper contrasts two Ugandan cropping systems, a banana-based (Musa AAA ) and a grain-based (Zea mays and Sorghum bicolor), and focuses on the pote ntial of each to provide food in sufficient quantity to meet household nutr itional requirements. The objectives of this study were to estimate the amo unt of energy, protein, vitamin A, Ca, Fe and Zn furnished by these two sys tems; and to model cropping strategies capable of improving nutritional out put given the same land area and location. Results show that both systems c urrently fail to satisfy a range of nutritional needs with Zn and Ca defici ts being the most extreme. Modifications in cropping strategies explored th rough modeling showed that improved nutrition in both systems was possible given the same resource base. Improved nutrition in the banana-cropping sys tem requires major changes in the allocation of land: e.g, a two-thirds red uction in the proportion of land devoted to banana. Adequate nutrition give n the same resource base would require the incorporation of several species (e.g. Amaranthus lividus and Glycine max), which though present are uncomm on. Though we suggest changes in extant cropping systems, this paper acknow ledges that such changes would occur in the context of practices embedded i n cultural norms. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.