Solar-Powered Drip Irrigation Impacts on Crops Production Diversity and Dietary Diversity in Northern Benin

Abstract

Background: Meeting the food needs of Africa's growing population will require innovative and appropriate technologies whose effectiveness needs to be assessed. Objective: To evaluate the impact of Solar Market Gardens (SMGs) on crops production diversity and dietary diversity in the Kalalé district of Northern Benin. Methods: In 2007, SMGs were installed in 2 villages for women's agricultural groups as a strategy for enhancing food and nutrition security. Data were collected through interviews at installation and 1 year later from all women's group households (30-35 women/group) and from a random representative sample of 30 households in each village, for both treatment and matched-pair comparison villages. Results: Comparison of baseline and endline data indicated increases in the variety of fruits and vegetables produced and consumed by SMG women's groups compared to other groups. The proportion of SMG women's group households engaged in vegetable and fruit production significantly increased by 26% and 55%, respectively (P < .05). After controlling for baseline values, SMG women's groups were 3 times more likely to increase their fruit and vegetable consumption compared with comparison non-women's groups (P < .05). In addition, the percentage change in corn, sorghum, beans, oil, rice and fish purchased was significantly greater in the SMG women's groups compared to other groups. At endline, 57% of the women used their additional income on food, 54% on health care, and 25% on education. Conclusions: Solar Market Gardens have the potential to improve household nutritional status through direct consumption and increased income to make economic decisions.

The impact of a Solar Market Garden programme on dietary diversity, women’s nutritional status and micronutrient levels in Kalalé district of northern Benin

“…Our results confirm, as others have, that drip irrigation farming programmes are successful in increasing household consumption and mothers' dietary intake of nutrient-rich foods (14,24,28) . However, our results add to this literature by demonstratingand for the first time, to our knowledge, through a quasi-experimental designthat these programmes can also directly improve mothers' nutritional status and anaemia levels.…”

“…However, it will be important to examine these relationships in future analysis and to also assess potential unintended negative effects of the SMG programme on women's time use and ability to care for their children, as observed by Von Braun et al (24) and Steiner-Asiedu et al (44) . Significant positive effects of the SMG systems were found on household consumption of nutrient-rich foods among SMG WG, particularly of fruits, vegetables, meats and fish, which were consistent with changes in food purchases and use of food from stores observed in our pilot study conducted between November 2007 and 2008 (26,28) . Impacts on mothers' dietary intake of individual food groups and diversity largely reflected impacts at the household level, which were significant for fruits, vegetables, fish and dietary diversity scores, and marginally significant for meats including poultry.…”

“…The pilot SMG systems were installed in conjunction with local women's agricultural groups engaged in horticulture. Over the first two years of operation, these gardens were found to have a significant impact on the food security and economic well-being of the farmers and their households (26,28) . However, there was no evidence base on their impact on women's dietary diversity, anthropometrics or clinical indicators.…”

Prevalence of anaemia, deficiencies of iron and vitamin A and their determinants in rural women and young children: a cross-sectional study in Kalalé district of northern Benin

“…The only study that identified anaemia risk factors among Beninese children was carried out in 2007 and found that incomplete immunization, stunted growth, recent infection, absence of a bednet, low household living standard, low maternal education and low community development index increased the risk of anaemia (13) . As such, identifying the magnitude of anaemia and deficiencies of Fe and vitamin A and their determinants in high-risk groups, such as women of childbearing age and children, is essential for evidence-based intervention modalities, particularly in rural areas, where women and children may suffer not only from micronutrient deficiencies but also a shortage of food (14) . The present study is a very important step forward to avail of evidence-based information on the distribution of anaemia and micronutrient deficits and their predisposing diet and health factors among rural women and children in northern Benin.…”

Impact of a rural solar electrification project on the level and structure of women’s empowerment

“…6 After a pilot-scale evaluation between 2007-2010, SELF and ADESCA-ONG secured funding to install 8 new Solar Market Gardens in villages across Kalalé. Results from the twovillage pilot study have been described elsewhere [15][16][17]; here we present analysis from the scale-up phase that began in 2013. We leveraged this expansion to study the impacts of this rural energy access project on economic development, food security, and women's empowerment.…”