So far, donors have leaned toward technology. We think as scientists, technicians and doctors we have the solutions. People trying to survive have a different point of view. Biharipur's daily diet consists of beans, rice, potatoes and onions - adequate foods for protein but not for vitamins and minerals. The better- off families have green leafy vegetables once a week.
Tomatoes reach the village maybe once a month.
And most of the milk production is sold to another town nearby. Across Asia and Africa, such diets have created profound micronutrient deficiencies. Nutritionists believe it may also contribute to as many as 400,000 child deaths annually. Other micronutrient deficiencies affect up to half the world's population, causing such afflictions as goitre and anemia. The WHO says a lack of iodine causes 20 million cases of mental illness worldwide.