Research on how to improve food and nutrition security has the potential to make real-life contributions for local communities suffering from nutrient deficiencies. Yet, most research remains inaccessible to people who could benefit from it. To elevate the impacts of research beyond a scientific paper, we co-developed a children’s book on wild foods. The book was shared with children in Malawi and Tanzania.
The book was co-developed with local communities in Malawi and Tanzania – and it takes point of departure in the findings obtained by PhD students Emilie Vansant and Rasmus Skov Olesen. Together they surveyed more than 1000 households across 16 sites in the two countries. The book is designed to educate young children in rural Africa about how wild foods from the forest can contribute to healthy diets. The illustrations were developed in collaboration with graphic facilitator Mette Jeppesen and highlight the importance of consuming foods rich in micronutrients, such as Vitamin A. To better acquaint children with their surrounding landscape, it features common tree species (e.g. wild custard apple, wild java plum) and green leafy plants (e.g. wild cow peas, black jack) and their various functions, including providing nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables.
The book was shared with ~1500 children across 16 schools in Malawi and Tanzania through interactive workshops designed to engage students with the book’s contents. When sharing the book, it was first read out loud together with the school children. Graphic Facilitator Mette sketched a human body and explained how eating nutritious fruits and vegetables can be good for your eyesight, strength and health. The workshops finished with a drawing activity, where the children picked certain leaves and fruits to draw together on large sheets of paper. These collective ‘nutritious landscape drawings’ were then used to decorate the classrooms.
