Sustainable Nutrition Manual: Food, Water, Agriculture & Environment (Second Edition)

This is the second edition of Stacia Nordin's 2005 Low Input Food and Nutrition Security Manual that was created as a response to Malawi's food and nutrition problems specifically with the agricultural systems the people were using to feed themselves. This edition focuses more on agro-ecology, local biodiversity and permaculture design. It is recommended that agriculture, education, health and gender extension staff utilize the manual.

This manual is for people who eat, grow or buy food and who want to improve their own lives, their community and the environment that they live in. It has been written for, and by, people living in Malawi, but the ideas in it can be applied anywhere in the world. It is for all people, everywhere, but most of all it is for you. Many people in Malawi have used this manual with great results and, if you use these ideas, you will also be able to: Improve your diet and health; save money that was spent on food, medicines and chemicals; double or triple yields and harvests (or even more!); reduce the amount of watering in gardens and orchards; reduce the amount of work done on your land and in your home; have healthier plants and animals; reduce infertile and unproductive areas of land; and use free resources to improve soil and water in your area.

The manual aims to show you that, by thinking differently and thinking sustainably, you can improve your heath, diet, lifestyle and surroundings easily and cheaply. Even if most of your food is bought, it shows new ways to think about, source and use food. The book will put these ideas into the context of caring for the environment (which is the source of all our food) by using Permaculture Principles and sustainable farming techniques.

You will gain an understanding of the term Sustainable Nutrition by learning first about nutrition and what your body needs to have a healthy, varied, diet and a healthy living environment. Then you will learn how to get this healthy diet onto your plates. When you understand what your body needs for health then you will learn that the natural environment needs diversity to stay healthy too. The health of your body and the health of the environment where food is grown are closely linked. What you learn about Sustainable Systems in Nature and different kinds of resources will guide you into the creation of a Personalised Design for you and your family to achieve Sustainable Nutrition.