Food affordability crisis impacts child nutrition in Africa

In sub-Saharan Africa, child nutrition is heavily impacted by food affordability rather than a lack of nutritional knowledge. While parents are often advised to provide protein, fruits, and vegetables, two-thirds of the continent's population cannot afford a healthy diet. Even the most affordable nutritious foods can cost between two and ten times more per calorie than staples like maize meal.

Professor Christine Taljaard-Krugell of North-West University notes that while staple foods provide energy, obtaining essential micronutrients like iron, zinc, and vitamin A remains a financial challenge for many households. Certain foods offer better nutritional value per unit of currency; for example, pulses, dark green leafy vegetables, and small dried fish are relatively low-cost sources of vital nutrients. However, high-protein foods such as eggs, chicken, and beef remain largely inaccessible to many families.

Although school meal programs reached 87 million children in 2024, these interventions often occur too late to address critical nutritional needs during a child's first 1,000 days of life.