Launching of the Kigali Good Nutrition and Innovative Urban Farming Campaign
Kigali 29th November 2017.
The Kigali good nutrition and innovative urban farming campaign is an event that aims to improve health status of people living in the urban areas of Kigali city.
In most cities as incomes increase we find that Non-Communicable Diseases also increase. This is in part due to poor eating habits, lack of exercise, exposure to tobacco smoke and the harmful use of alcohol.
City of Kigali (CoK) in collaboration with International Potato Center (CIP) has organized a 7-day good nutrition and innovative urban farming campaign which will commence on November 27th to December 1st 2017 in Kigali.
The week-long campaign themed, “Promoting Diversified Diet and Innovative Urban Farming for a Better and Well-Nourished City” is aimed at sensitizing and educating the population in Kigali city on positive ways to improve their health. One focus will be to increase the consumption of biofortified crops, nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables, diversification of diets. To increase the availability of vegetables and fruits in the city, we are highlighting an innovative method of growing these products with limited space and resources. This is the innovative vertical farming approach. This is cheaper and easier to manage than the traditional Kitchen Garden.
On Wednesday November 29, the City of Kigali together with International Potato Center will officially launch this campaign in Mageragere Sector,
Nyarugenge District with invited guests. We will distribute Orange Flesh Sweetpotato vine to farmers. These sweetpotato will provide calories, vitamin A and other vitamins and minerals. The surplus roots and vines sold by the beneficiaries will improve their incomes.
In Rwanda, only 0.3% of the population consume fruits per day, 0.9% eat vegetables, and 99.1% eat less than 5 servings of fruits and/or vegetables. Therefore, during the launch, residents will be educated on how to grow fruits and vegetables using a conventional kitchen garden as well as innovative vertical garden method using items available all over the households and thrown away as waste. There will be also a balanced diet cooking demonstration where they will be taught on how to cook and balance using foodstuff available to the households.
The grand finale of the campaign will be held at Rwanda Revenue Authority during the Car Free Day on Sunday, December 1 where residents of Kigali will be taught the linkage between sports and healthy eating habits.
International Potato Center work impacts people’s lives through training beneficiaries on proper nutrition through social and behavior change communication. This will encourage innovative urban farming methods and better food choices. We hope to contribute to reduction in the cases of malnutrition, stunting and non-communicable diseases in Kigali and Rwanda in general.
For further information please contact our communications desk at A.Ndayisenga@cgiar.org or call on: +25(0)788500086