Globally, 500 million small-scale farmers rely on small family plots of land for their food production. Although small-scale farmers manage 80% of farmland in Asia and Africa, they often sell their most nutritious foods and eat starchy foods such as rice, bread and wheat, which lack in key nutrients such as zinc and iron.
This brief provides an overview of the Seeds of Prosperity programme. Through the Seeds of Prosperity the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), the Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH), and Unilever are working through commodity supply chains to improve workers’ diets and hygiene practices. The Seeds of Prosperity programme focuses first on building awareness of the importance of nutrition and hygiene, especially of a diverse diet and handwashing. Positive reinforcement and rewards then help to encourage a commitment to best practices and sustainable behaviour change.