App targets food security among SA's poor

Smart Grow - Free App targets food security among SA's poor Following research surrounding which crops are grown in four of SA's poorest communities, and combining it with food composition data to understand the nutritional value of different crops, the team developed recommendations on how communities can grow food that addresses their nutritional needs. They communicate this insight to empower people not only through printed materials but via technology. According to IFNuW, it is well-documented that 54% of South Africans live below the poverty line. It notes diets of mostly maize and bread cannot provide adequate nutrition. Many communities turn to subsistence agriculture to bridge this nutritional gap, but in the marginal farming areas that make up large parts of rural SA, they struggle to grow enough food to meet their nutritional requirements, the institute adds. "The findings of the study and the recommendations can empower communities in taking responsibility for their nutrition by providing them with locally-relevant information while helping government and NGOs design more appropriate agriculture-based interventions," Hendriks points out. The app is free to download from the University of Pretoria Web site (http://ift.tt/2bC97VR) and works on seven-inch tablets and smartphones. Other size screens will follow but it is expected to stay on the Android platform as it can be provided at no cost. See http://ift.tt/2aYzWPu