Additionally, new foods are often very difficult to introduce in West Africa, and many seemingly exotic imported foods and other non-local nutrition supplements were not accepted by families and incorporated into their diets.
Poor nutrition is a very important factor in children's vulnerability to diseases.
In the Ziguinchor region of southern Senegal, for example, nearly one in ten infants dies before the age of five from parasites, diarrhea, or malaria. It was brought to Africa by people from Asia who used it as a source of food and for medicinal purposes. The tree has many names. The Moringa tree likes sunshine and can withstand drought conditions. It grows quickly from seed or cuttings, can reach a height of 12 feet within the first year, and regenerates itself even after the most severe pruning.