Antenna Nutritech, Maduraï : production and distribution of spirulina

Nutrition: production and disitribution of spirulina Today, some 925 million people in the world suffer from hunger, the vast majority of them in developing countries1. The right to food is recognised in Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in Article 11 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, yet no international legal framework exists to enforce the compliance of signatory States. The real issue, though, is not of hunger, but of malnutrition. This pathological condition arises when the supply of micronutrients (vitamins, minerals and essential amino acids) is insufficient for the body to grow properly and to maintain its vital functions. Children are the most vulnerable to malnutrition The WHO reports that 20 million children below the age of five are seriously malnourished and, in consequence, are more significantly exposed to disease and premature death. Although it is rarely attributed as a direct cause of death, malnutrition does play a role in about 40% of the 11 million deaths of children below the age of five which are recorded annually in developing countries. The state of mild and moderate child malnutrition, which has no clinical symptoms, also have grave consequences. Micronutrients are essential components in infant development and in the health of the pregnant and nursing mother. The most devastating effects of malnutrition occur in the pre-natal state and during a child's early years, when its physical and mental growth is hindered. Our action Hence the timely detection of children suffering from mild and moderate malnutrition is of the utmost importance, as is the provision of relevant food supplements. Antenna is active in the production and supply of spirulina, of which a daily dose of just a few grams can lead to spectacular improvements in the nutritional state of malnourished children. Our work on microgardens meshes perfectly with our work on nutritional education and spirulina-based programmes. 1 FAO, Department of Economic and Social Development, 2010 2 UNICEF, 2010 www.antenna.ch www.antennaindia.org