Nutrition survey of mother in DRC site. Formal verbal consent of people photographed was obtained by
photographer. Photo credit: Axel Fassio, CIFOR.

By Amy Ickowitz, Muhammad Faisal Pratama, Mahdiyatur Rahmah, Caleb Yengo Tata, Erasmus Tang, Judith Laure Ngondi, and Victor Buhendwa Mirindi.

Read the full paper here.

Wild meat and freshwater fish are widely consumed in the Congo Basin, but in some areas, they are at risk of disappearing due to unsustainable hunting and fishing and changes in habitat. Wild meat consumption is also threatened by proposed hunting bans that have been recommended by various organizations following the Covid-19 pandemic. Decreases in consumption of wild meat and fish could worsen already high malnutrition rates in the region. In order to assess the potential impacts of declines in or lost access to these foods on nutrition, it is critical to understand their current contributions to individual nutrient intake, particularly for young children who are among the most nutritionally vulnerable demographic group. We investigate the contributions of wild meat and local fish to the nutrient intake of children under five in four rural study sites in the Congo Basin. We find that both wild meat and local fish make very substantial contributions to children’s intake of protein, iron, zinc, and vitamin B12. We also show that consumption of these foods is not associated with children’s parents’ wealth status implying that these nutrient-rich foods are accessible to even the poorest households. If children were no longer to have access to these foods, it would likely have negative impacts on their nutrition.