Those who work with nutritional questions must get access to these basic tools. Otherwise the risk is great that they will rely on western, known solutions.
PTV does a good job to improve the situation as it comes to the supply of food. But once again, it is difficult to judge whether they are working with adequate things as information is lacking about the nutritional contents of the plants that are being cultivated. The new varieties of peas give less leaves and more peas. One does not know how important this fact is, as the nutritional contents of the leaves is not known. It is evident that these are an important part of the diet, but how will the nutritional intake be influenced if the amount of pea leaves decrease?
Fura is an interesting dish, apparently of equal value to Swedish gruel. One ought to investigate if it could be a suitable additional food for children, possibly with some changes, and in that case introduce it properly with the people in common. Maybe the special demonstrations at PMI for sucklings and their mothers are quite unnecessary? Because fura everybody can make. And it is quite evident that a good additional food is needed. This can be seen from the curves of weight for the small children. The weight is nearly levelled from the age of 8 months to 18.
The improved stoves have had a good start but they are apt to break after a while. Maybe more people ought to be taught how to build a good stove? The principles behind the stove, how it works and how it is built, ought to be the knowledge of everyone.
The new houses, built by PTV, are worthy of a mentioning. The technique with stones of clay in a vaulted roof gives a smooth inner surface which makes that insects and other animals cannot easily escape. The advantages, compared to building in the old-fashioned way, are evident.
Chikal is a village with nice people, and the co-operation with PTV seems to work well. Both those who work in the project and those who come in contact with it seem to appreciate the work of PTV.
EDEN, a foundation to support plants that thrives in dry climate
FAO, (United Nations) Food and Agriculture Organisation
INRAN, Institut National de Recherche Agronomique au Niger, The National Institute of Niger for Agricultural research
ISAID, Canadian Aid Organisation, I do not know the significance of the letters
PMI, Poste Maternelle et Infantile, place for mother and child health
PTV, Projet Tapis Vert, The project the green carpet
SRD, American Aid Organisation, see ISAID
UNICEF, United Nations Children's Fund