Micronutrient deficiency affects more than two billion people in the world today, contributing to the vicious cycle of malnutrition and underdevelopment. Micronutrient deficiencies have long-ranging effects on health, learning ability and productivity. Food-based approaches, which include food production, dietary diversification and food fortification, are sustainable strategies for improving the micronutrient status of populations. This book focuses on practical, sustainable actions for overcoming micronutrient deficiencies through increased access to, and consumption of, adequate quantities and an appropriate variety of safe, good-quality food. Co-published with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Nutrition-sensitive, food-based approaches towards hunger and malnutrition are effective, sustainable and long-term solutions. This book discusses the policy, strategic, methodological, technical and programmatic issues associated with such approaches, proposes "best practices" for the design, targeting, implementation and evaluation of specific nutrition-sensitive, food-based interventions and for improved methodologies for evaluating their efficacy and cost-effectiveness, and provides practical lessons for advancing nutrition-sensitive food-based approaches for improving nutrition at policy and programme level.

The International Symposium on Food and Nutrition Security: Food-Based Approaches for Improving Diets and Raising Levels of Nutrition was organised by the FAO to better document the contribution that food and agriculture can make to improving nutrition. This publication presents the proceedings of the symposium. The proceedings are a useful resource for decision and policy makers, programme planners and implementers, and health workers, all of which work to combat hunger and malnutrition. Likewise, they will have appeal for professionals in the field of food security, nutrition, public health, horticulture, agronomy, animal science, food marketing, information, education, communication, food technology and development. They are also designed as a useful complementary source for graduate and postgraduate courses.