Statement and brief paper by Joel Bernstein of USAID on the impact of IARC programs on human nutrition. Suggests nutritional content of foods as a criterion for prioritizing research. Agenda item presented at TAC Seventh Meeting, February 1974

Bernstein, Joel

United States Agency for International Development

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1818 H St., N.W. Washington, D.C. 20433 U.S.A. Telephane(Area Code 202)477-3592 Cable Address - INTBAFRAD September 5, 1973 TO: Members of TAC, Directors of Centers FROM: Executive Secretary SUBJECT: Nutrition At the close of the Consultative Croup session last August 2, Dr. Bernstein, the representative of the United States Agency for International Development, mentioned that he had prepared a short paper suggesting the development of a more systematic effort or strategy to strengthen the nutritional impact of the programs of the international agricultural research centers. A copy of the paper is attached for your information. Attachment HG:mcj Strengthening Nutrition Via Agricultural Research Center Activities The problem of world food supply involves both quantity and quality -- calories and nutrients. Tile priorities paper of the Chairman of TAC questions whether enough emphasis is being placed on the quality aspect, particularly protein. The internetionsl centers and other research organizations are already doing mxh important pork to breed better protein content into basic grains, and more recently to increase yields of the most nutritious and widely used legumes, However ) it is desirable, as the TAC Chairman implies, that TAC and the I:nstitute Directors consider __-~ .-- - development of a more systematic effort or strategy to stremthen the ----w.eA----.---- nutr-itional irqact of their pro:qams. Measures that m:i_ght be considered include: (1) rationalization of the pattern of the centers' research to give appropriate stress to nutritional objectives; (2) strengthened lab and field research capabilities to test for varietal characteristics that will increase consUtr,er acceptance of high protein crops and also for bodily absorption of nutrients from the various varieties; rather than duplicating this capability a-t all of the centers , it might prove feasible to use a common facil-ity . somewhere , particularly for the more sophisticated and expensive parts of the pork -- pass i.11l.y by contracti.ng with existing food technoLo?q or biological ~aboratox5es;~ (3) professional nutri.tional representation on TAC; (W inclusion of appropriate nutrition awareness, strategy and technical. trxi.nLng in Center training activities , particularly as this is relevant to agricultural research activities; (5) assignment of greater weight to the nutritional value of new varieties, balanced against yield and other desired characteristics, in deciding which varieties to release. ‘ ‘ . . . 1”’ i 

Strengthening Nutrition via Agricultural Research Center Activities

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Strengthening Nutrition via Agricultural Research Center Activities

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