Those of you who have already been to Nicaragua know this well: rice, beans, corn and loads of sugar are dominating the local cuisine. No wonder that malnutrition is a big problem here. On top of that there is a junk food trend at the moment rather than a nutrient-rich and versatile diet. Nicaragua has plenty of tropical fruits. Nevertheless many locals will prefer a soft drink over a fresh pineapple juice. Many people are unaware of what a healthy diet includes and how it will affect their well-being and quality of life – a reason for us to become active here.
Our goal is to overcome the following challenges:
- Reducing malnutrition
- Creating consciousness for a healthy diet
- Promoting a sustainable supply of nutrient-rich foods
Our current areas of focus are
Long-term there are a lot of things to do to improve food security on Ometepe. Regarding nutrition as well as agriculture, the population of Nicaragua is facing many challenges. We will have to work on them step by step. Right now we are planning the following projects:
- The Moringa project: Moringa, better known as the tree of life, is nowadays well-known worldwide and highly-valued as a super-food. On Ometepe the tree grows very well and could supply the population the whole year round with it is nutrient-rich leaves. Sadly the people on Ometepe know next to nothing about the qualities of this plant. On top of that eating green leaves is not part of the local eating habits. For that reason we would like to promote using Moringa in different forms to improve the nutrient content of the local food.
- A school kitchen at the primary school in Balgue