Abstract
<p class="Style1">This study explored the acceptability of pearl millet grain in rural Eastern Kenya. Ninety seven households accepted to plant pearl millet. These were the 37 who were part of the study and other 60 who were not part of the study. When requested to barter 2 kg pearl millet with maize, 33 (85%) out of 39bartered with maize, 2 (5%) with sorghum, 2 (5%) with chicken and 2 (5%) with money. The average score for skill attainment was 88% with 92.5% mothers readily gaining the skill to prepare and incorporate pearl millet into the daily diet of children. Children liked pearl millet when given with a low of 77.8% and a high of 93.2%. These findings suggest that policies or programs to promote cultivation, bartering, and consumption of pearl millet grain could be well acceptable in rural Eastern Kenya which could add to the nutritional content of local diets.</p>
Highlights
1.1 Undernutrition in Eastern KenyaDespite the Millenium Development Goal to halve the proportion of people who suffer from hunger by 2015 (Black et al, 2008), under-nutrition is associated with over half of all deaths of children worldwide (World Bank, 2006)
This study explored the acceptability of pearl millet grain in rural Eastern Kenya
These findings suggest that policies or programs to promote cultivation, bartering, and consumption of pearl millet grain could be well acceptable in rural Eastern Kenya which could add to the nutritional content of local diets
Summary
Despite the Millenium Development Goal to halve the proportion of people who suffer from hunger by 2015 (Black et al, 2008), under-nutrition is associated with over half of all deaths of children worldwide (World Bank, 2006). Makueni County faces nutritional challenges with about 20 per cent of children aged 6-59 months moderately underweight and more than one third of children under five stunted i.e about 34% (Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), 2008). Hunger at the household level in most parts of Makueni County, Kenya is fueled by climatic conditions and agricultural practices (Chotard, Mason, Oliphant, Mebrahtu, & Hailey, 2010, Pasricha & Biggs, 2010). The long-term drought conditions and the resulting erosion from the agricultural practices have contributed to a decrease in the regional dietary diversity
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