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     Current Research Journal of Social Sciences

    Abstract
2012(Vol.4, Issue:2)
Article Information:

The Impact of Irrigation on the Nutritional Status of Children in the Sissala West District of Ghana

M. Steiner-Asiedu, B.A.Z. Abu, J. Setorglo, D.K. Asiedu and A.K. Anderson
Corresponding Author:  M. Steiner-Asiedu 
Submitted: May 14, 2011
Accepted: February 17, 2012
Published: March 20, 2012
Abstract:
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO, 2006) the most sustainable way to reduce hunger effectively is to improve agriculture and rural development simultaneously. The study investigated the impact of irrigation dam projects on child nutritional status. A total of 397 mother-child pair from three communities (control, 1 year and 2 year intervention with introduction of irrigation dam) with and without irrigation dams participated in the study. Nutritional status was assessed using anthropometric indicators (height/length, weight and MUAC) and haemoglobin levels. For haemoglobin assessment a sub-sample of 200 children was used. Twenty four h dietary recall was used to assess dietary intake. The results showed significant differences (p<0.001) in wasting rates of 11.0, 21.2 and 12.3%, respectively among children in the control, 1 year intervention and 2 year intervention communities respectively. Haemoglobin assessment revealed that a greater proportion of children (70.1%) were anaemic. The 1 year intervention had a significantly higher number of children (p<0.001) who had haemoglobin in the normal range. Most (95.9%) of the children did not meet their energy needs according to their dietary intake records. Child feeding practices continue to be a challenge in these communities. Currently, the impact of the irrigation dam on the livelihoods and nutritional status of the children is not obvious but more time is needed to realize the full potential. Nutrition education should target the incorporation of fish from the dam into young child feeding in these communities.

Key words:  Anaemia and irrigation dams, child, nutritional status, stunting, wasting, ,
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Cite this Reference:
M. Steiner-Asiedu, B.A.Z. Abu, J. Setorglo, D.K. Asiedu and A.K. Anderson, . The Impact of Irrigation on the Nutritional Status of Children in the Sissala West District of Ghana. Current Research Journal of Social Sciences, (2): 86-92.
ISSN (Online):  2041-3246
ISSN (Print):   2041-3238
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