Brandeis University

Reducing child malnutrition through amaranth

production in 6 municipalities of Huehuetenango, Guatemala

By : Claire Clugston Gerson Morales

Agenda

Project located in Huehuetenango, Guatemala

Target • 5,000 children from 6 different Municipalities from the

Department of Huehuetenango, Guatemala.

•In Huehuetenango there are 180,000 children 5 years old or younger, spread out in 22 municipalities.

•Our study is focused in only 6 municipalities, therefore our target is 5,000 children between 3 and 5 years old.

Guatemala Is located in Central America, bordering Mexico,

El Salvador, Belize and Honduras. Its area is 108,890 Km2 with an estimated population of 14.36 million at 2.3 % of annual growth

Guatemala’s EconomyGuatemala exports are: sugar, coffee and

bananas.

General conditions•The richness of Guatemala is not well distributed• 10 % are the richest and more than half of the entire population is below the national poverty line. •15 % lives in extreme poverty

Rates of malnutrition

Guatemala has the highest malnutrition rate in Latin America at 49%, followed

by Honduras at 29% (Unicef)

“It is hardly one of Latin America’s poorest countries, but according to Unicef almost half of Guatemala’s children are chronically malnourished—the sixth-worst performance in the world”

~the Economist

Causes of malnutrition• Lack of infrastructure•Political neglect•High costs of production for farmers•Limited access to credit

Goal and Objectives of ProjectGoal: To Reduce Child Malnutrition in 6 Municipalities in Huehutetango, Guatemala

Objective 1: 85,000 pounds of amaranth grown by 500 farmers

Objective 2: 5,000 Children ages 3 to 5 receive 1 amaranth cookie per day

Why Amaranth

Amaranth Amino acid score of 108

Proteins with amino acid scores over 100 are complete

Also known as: The Food of the Future

It has been cultivated in America for over 7000 years, its use is customary in Peru, Mexico and Bolivia.

Amaranth seeds provide a source of protein which other cereals can’t satisfy

Amaranth Cookies1 cup popped Amaranth

2 tbsp oil1/4 cup honey

1/4 tsp cinnamon

Action plan, Year 1

•Selection of project leaders and beneficiaries•Community leaders form action committees•Community trainings and capacity building•Save the Children purchases seeds, technology, etc•Local carpenters Build cooking and storage facilities•Farmers plant amaranth•Training for women’s groups who will bake cookies

Action Plan, Year 2

• Trainings for farmers in amaranth processing• Farmers harvest and process amaranth• Ministry of Health purchases other ingredients• Women’s groups bake cookies• Ministry of health disseminates cookies to

community leaders• Community leaders distribute cookies to

children age 3-5

Action Plan, Year 3

• Continue with amaranth production and processing into cookies

• NG0 decreases presence• Public Health Department assumes

responsibility for funding and managing project

New Technology and Infrastructure

•No new technologies will be introduced to grow the amaranth.•Introduction of mechanical thresher to expedite amaranth processing

New Technology and Infrastructure

•Electric ovens introduced to women’s groups who will bake the amaranth cookies•Development of cooking and storage facilities

Political Development and Capacity Building

• Creation of 6 Comites de Apoyo in the 6 municipalities

• Capacity Building of farmers

• Capacity Building for Women’s Groups

• Save the Children works with Ministry of Health to build their capacity to manage the project after 3 years

Implementing agencies and partners

• Project will be implemented by Save the Children•The Ministry of Health will partner with Save the Children and manage the project after 3 years•Ministry of Agriculture will also be a partner

Implementing agencies and partners

•The FA0 will provide technical support

•Project complements national Hunger Zero program, launched this month

Budgeting planBudgeting Plan for Amaranth Cookies

Units Unit price USD total

Year 1

Pounds amaranth 85000 1.4 $ 119,000.00 Cookies procces cost 85,000 0.8 $ 68,000.00 Salaries 1 12,000 $ 12,000.00 Oven and some equipment 6 10000 $ 60,000.00 Workshop 30 500 $ 15,000.00 Total First year $ 274,000.00

Year 2

Pounds amaranth 85000 1.4 $ 119,000.00 Cookies procces cost 85,000 0.8 $ 68,000.00 Salaries 1 12,000 $ 12,000.00 Workshop 30 500 $ 15,000.00 Sub total 2d year $ 214,000.00

Year 3

Pounds amaranth 85000 1.4 $ 119,000.00 Cookies procces cost 85,000 0.8 $ 68,000.00 Salaries 1 12,000 $ 12,000.00 Workshop 30 500 $ 15,000.00 Sub total 3rd year $ 214,000.00

Total Project USD 702,000.00

Funding plan

Save the Children will Pay for project management, capacity building, technology and

infrastructureMinistry of health responsible for purchasing ingredients for amaranth cookies and paying

women’s groups.After project competition, the Guatemalan

government will take over all funding.

Alternatives consideredand Reasons for Rejection

• Animal protein project (harder to distribute)

• Different type of plant protein (less nutritious)

Alternatives consideredand Reasons for Rejection

• School lunch program (malnutrition rates highest in children under 5)

• Other products made from amaranth (cookies most appropriate in economic and cultural context)

Conclusion

“The past government allowed children to die of hunger; we won’t allow this to happen.”

~President Otto Perez Molina

Through this project, we will build the capacities of communities and government agencies to combat the pressing issue of malnutrition in children under

5 years of age while creating rural jobs

Thanks