Innovative Enrichment for Food and Nutrition Security: The Role of Moringa and Spirulina in Complementary Foods in Chad

Micronutrient deficiencies remain a public health issue in sub-Saharan Africa, disproportionally affecting young children and pregnant or lactating women. Infants and young children often rely on cereal-based complementary foods that do not meet their nutritional needs, leading to deficiencies in key nutrients. This inadequate diet, combined with frequent infections, contributes to growth faltering and micronutrient deficiencies during early childhood.

As part of the Knowledge and Research for Nutrition project of the European Commission, the Nutrition Research Facility conducted a study to assess the role of moringa and spirulina in meeting the nutritional requirements of complementary foods of young children, compared to industrial premixes, and to evaluate their nutritional effects. Furthermore, the costs and feasibility of the moringa and spirulina value chains in Chad were assessed.