At the base of eliminating chronic childhood malnutrition is ensuring that our partner families have access to the foods necessary for a balanced diet. Proper nutrition helps children to grow healthily, maintain strong immune systems that prevent illness, and gives them the nutrients they need to lead active lives. We work to train participants in organic farming methods and provide starter plants and seeds for family gardens that produce an abundance of nutritious plants, cultivated without harmful chemicals, and that allow for year-round access to healthy foods.
The results of evaluations carried out by ABPD staff have shown us that up to 35% of corn stored after harvest is lost due to a variety of reasons. Corn, being a staple of the Guatemalan diet, is essential in maintaining adequate nutrition in children and adults alike. We work to improve the storage of agricultural goods via training farmers in effective storage methods as well as the provision of storage equipment when necessary, both strengthening food security and reducing monthly expenses for food products in our partner communities. All of these activities make up part of our agriculture program, a key component in our multifaceted approach to tackling chronic childhood malnutrition in rural Mayan communities in Guatemala.
