In sub-Saharan Africa, the struggle for children to receive proper nutrition goes beyond simple dietary education. Parents are often inundated with recommendations about what their children should eat—ranging from protein and fruits to vegetables and dairy products. However, many parents face a critical dilemma: understanding the nutritional needs of their children does not automatically equate to having the resources to meet those needs. The stark reality is that for millions of households, nutritious food choices are often unaffordable or inaccessible.
Professor Christine Taljaard-Krugell, an expert in nutrition at North-West University’s Centre of Excellence for Nutrition, asserts that the concept of affordability is not universal. “Affordability isn’t a property of a food. It depends on what a household can spend,” she says, helping to illustrate that while some foods are nutrient-dense, they may still be out of reach for many families. For children, the requirements for energy and nutrients—including protein, vitamins, and minerals—are critical for healthy growth and development. Essential micronutrients such as iron, zinc, vitamin A, and iodine support brain development and bolster immune health.
Staple foods like maize, rice, and cassava are the backbone of many African diets. They provide the energy children need but often fall short in delivering the protein and micronutrients required for healthy growth. Taljaard-Krugell emphasizes that diversifying meals can lead to significant improvements in nutrition. Affordable and nutrient-rich options such as dark leafy greens, orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, and various beans and legumes can offer essential vitamins and minerals without breaking the bank. For instance, small dried fish consumed whole can also provide vital nutrients like protein, iron, calcium, and vitamin B12—all at a low cost.
Despite the existence of these nutritious options, many families still find them difficult to incorporate into their diets due to financial constraints. Even the most economically viable sources of nutrition can cost two to ten times more per calorie than staple foods like maize meal. More expensive protein sources like eggs, chicken, and beef often fall entirely out of reach for many households. This doesn’t mean that these families should abandon maize or rice, which remain affordable and vital, but rather focus on enhancing their meals with healthier accompaniments.
Practical solutions for improving children’s diets include cooking legumes alongside staple foods. Adding a spoonful of oil can also enhance energy density and assist in vitamin A absorption. Families are advised to incorporate leafy greens towards the end of cooking to retain their nutrients, and to ensure that moldy foods are discarded before preparation to prevent the risk of toxins that can hinder child growth.
For infants under two years old, breastfeeding remains crucial. Exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months, followed by complementary foods until the age of two and beyond, is recommended. However, this hinges on mothers having access to adequate nutrition themselves, along with sufficient time and workplace protections to support breastfeeding. When introducing porridge around six months, it’s essential that it is nutrient-rich rather than watery, as inadequate nutrition during this time can have lasting detrimental effects on a child’s growth.
The challenge of dietary affordability continues to loom large. Recent statistics reveal that two-thirds of Africa’s population could not afford a healthy diet last year, with the cost of animal-source foods heavily impacting this statistic. Practical barriers to obtaining diverse diets exist as well. While pulses are low-cost options, they can be expensive to prepare due to the prolonged cooking time that requires significant fuel resources—this emphasis on fuel and time disproportionately impacts women. Meanwhile, fruits and vegetables may be affordable when in season but become unaffordable or spoil quickly without refrigeration.
Rural communities often feel the pinch more acutely, facing longer travel distances and limited choices, which drives up prices. Additionally, the dynamics within households—such as who controls the income—can significantly influence whether nutritious options reach children. Addressing these barriers demands a concerted effort, with Professor Taljaard-Krugell advocating for governments to strengthen existing policies aimed at improving food fortification and reducing contamination in staple foods.
Despite some countries mandating the fortification of staple foods like wheat flour and salt, many poorer households purchase food from local mills, which typically do not adhere to these regulations. There are also effective treatments to reduce aflatoxin contamination in ration staples, yet uptake among farmers has been alarmingly low. “The technology works and the delivery doesn’t,” Taljaard-Krugell points out.
In terms of government intervention, developing dietary guidelines remains a pressing need—only twelve African countries have managed to establish these frameworks. Moreover, child grants and cash transfers must be reassessed to match the actual cost of a nutritious diet instead of what budgets currently allow. Discussions around zero-rating food for value-added tax are warranted since the benefits often do not trickle down to those who need it most.
School-feeding programs represent another avenue for addressing nutritional shortfalls. Participation in these programs grew from 66 million children receiving meals in 2022 to 87 million in 2024. By sourcing produce from local farmers, schools can simultaneously bolster children’s diets and stimulate local economies. However, it’s important to note that these programs typically begin when children are already five or six years old—missing the crucial first 1,000 days of life where nutrition profoundly impacts development.
Ultimately, the responsibility of ensuring proper nutrition cannot rest solely on the shoulders of parents. “Parents are not always short of nutritional knowledge,” contends Taljaard-Krugell. “While we need to ensure that parents are equipped with sound nutritional advice, shortfalls such as money, time, and agency are barriers that need to be addressed.” Ignoring these realities not only perpetuates existing challenges but can also inflict further harm by placing undue blame on those who possess the least power to enact change.
