The above table lists nutritious foods that should be promoted to satisfy the common nutrient deficiencies in the region-calories, protein, and vitamin A. Special educational and promotional campaigns are required to increase the production and consumption of nutritious foods. Promotion of breast-feeding should be encouraged in all educational activities. Discussing the potential contribution of food science toward making processed foods more nutritious, it was considered that noodles, snack goods, and beverages could be enriched with proteins and vitamins without sacrifice in consumer acceptability. A nutrition component in agriculture is a relatively new concept in the region. Food production needs to be increased by agriculturalists through better plant-breeding and agricultural techniques.
Food scientists can help by processing excess crop yields and thereby reduce post-harvest losses.
Multiple cropping needs to be encouraged to add diversity of food to the diet in order to supplement nutritional deficiencies in the staple crop. Nutrient losses are also caused by improper home storage and cooking practices. Losses are also incurred during metabolism after consumption of an unbalanced diet. Adequate marketing information should be systematically provided to farmers in the agricultural production system to ensure appropriate supply and demand, especially for vegetables and fruits. Facilities for training in the home, farm, or community in processing of certain fruits and vegetables, using suitably modified traditional methods of preservation such as drying and pickling, should be encouraged.