Nutritionists face an extra problem in East and Southern Africa, where high rates of malnutrition and HIV/AIDS coexist. Even in the absence of HIV/AIDS, providing appropriate nutrition at the community and individual levels remains a challenge.
According to the UDHS (2001), 39% of children less than five years of age are stunted and 9% of women of reproductive age have chronic energy deficiency. Over 65% of children less than five years of age and 30% of women 15-49 years of age are anemic, while 28% of children and 52% of women are vitamin A deficient. Given these high levels of under-nutrition in Uganda, it is likely that deficiencies of other nutrients such as zinc, selenium, magnesium and vitamin C that are important for the immune function are prevalent in Uganda. Like HIV/AIDS, malnutrition also compromises the immune function and thus increases susceptibility to severe illnesses and reduces survival.
Despite the fact that about 80% of the Ugandan population is dedicated to agriculture, the country is still unable to guarantee the food security for the entire population. Malnutrition has actually increased in this decade while per capita agricultural production has decreased, the causes are known and shared by all stakeholders. While the production / inhabitant’s ratio is justified by the demographic boom that the country is experiencing, the problems related to the inefficiency of the agricultural system can be summarized in: limited technical knowledge, lack of inputs :-seeds, fertilizers, irrigation systems etc.), inadequate storage systems and limited access to the market. To these problems are added the new challenges that the world in general, and Uganda in particular, will have to face in the imminent future as a result of anthropogenic actions (climate change, demography, etc.).