The nutrition
component focused on health education and promotion with the aim to
create awareness and improve knowledge on vitamin A nutrition, affect
food choices, and optimize food preparation methods to maximize retention
and bioavailability of β-carotene. The aim of the agricultural
component was to increase availability of β-carotene-rich foods and
the household's access to these foods. This was done through
(i) training community members in gardening activities in demonstration
gardens, (ii) establishing community-based nurseries for the propagation and distribution of sweet potato cuttings, seedlings and
seed, and (iii) planting of β-carotene-rich crops in home gardens. Because
of staggered planting, cyclic production and the different varieties
of vegetables that were planted, β-carotene-rich foods were available
for household consumption throughout the year