Milk-and-Dairy-Products-in-Human-Nutrition-FAO

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Milk and dairy products in human nutrition
micronutrients), biofortification (changing the composition of agricultural products
through breeding or genetic modification – the high-betacarotene orange-fleshed
sweet potato being one example) and fortification (adding micronutrients to food or
putting them in processed foods, rather than giving supplements as a pill). Gibson
(2011) argues that a combination of approaches is likely to be needed in developing
countries. Dairy products provide a way to diversify the diet, and when consumed
in moderate quantities can enhance the diet and improve nutrition.
Thompson (2011) suggests that using micronutrient-rich foods to create a
balanced diet is a more sustainable way to improve nutrition than providing supplements.
Milk can also be fortified by adding vitamin A or D or minerals such as
iron. In some countries, for example Canada, fortification of milk with vitamin D is
mandatory. A recent review (Girard et al., 2012) noted the necessity for promoting
strategies that improve access and availability of supplements and fortified food
concurrently with strategies to improve access to diverse foods.
Examining the list of dairy-industry development programmes described in
Chapter 8, many have set out with the assumption that the result would be increased
consumption of dairy products, and some have specifically targeted women or poor
farmers, both seen to be in need of increased income and greater food security.
However, few dairy-industry development programmes have started with the primary
intention of improving nutrition in vulnerable groups (Chapter 8). Even dairy
programmes in developing countries have not done enough to measure whether
nutrition was improved (Chapter 7).
Dairying almost certainly could contribute more to nutrition-sensitive development,
and food-based approaches would be likely to work best. However, as
indicated in Chapter 8, this would require a change of focus in dairy programmes,
in ways that are discussed in the following section. It would also require more
evidence of the links between dairy programmes and nutrition, both to help in the
design of nutrition-sensitive programmes and to justify the need for them. While
there is growing knowledge and awareness of the nutritional and health benefits
and risks of dairy products, Chapter 4 and Chapter 7 have highlighted the many
knowledge gaps – the precise health impacts (good and bad) are not yet clear. There
is also limited information on the economic value of dairy-based approaches to
nutrition compared with those using other foods, both animal and plant source.
However, it is clear that age, physiological status and even genetic factors have
to be taken into consideration, and the fact that milk is a complex food containing
numerous nutrients has to be kept in mind. The second half of this chapter
explores the options for designing dairy development to more explicitly pursue
nutrition objectives.
9.3 Options for nutrition-sensitive dairy development
Dairy development is influenced by economic trends, government policies and
private-sector investment. As discussed in Section 9.2, Key trends and emerging
issues, the dairy sector is growing and projected to continue to do so. It
contributes positively to human food security and nutrition and has the potential
to contribute more. Dairying has played an important role in the livelihoods of
small-scale producers, traders and retailers, particularly in Asia and Africa, with
dairy supply chains slower to scale up and concentrate than those for most other