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Widespread undernutrition in low-income countries continues to exert enormous cost in terms of survival among infants and young children (24, 71). Chronic undernutrition (defined as stunting) and micronutrient deficiencies are significant health problems among infants and young children in Tanzania. Prevalence of stunting among children aged 6-59 months in the 2005 and 2010 national surveys was 37.7% and 42%, respectively (22, 23). Children in rural areas were more affected than their urban counterparts. Coexistence of micronutrient deficiencies with undernutrition has been demonstrated in cross-sectional studies (47, 115). National data has also shown inadequate consumption of micronutrient-rich foods. Proportion of children (6-35 monthsold) who consumed iron-rich foods was 29.8%, whereas that of vitamin A-rich foods was 61.5%(22). Inadequate dietary intakes and poor feeding practices directly affect the nutritional status of children in the country. This situation is aggravated by household food insecurity.

Households in rural Tanzania depend on rain-fed, small subsistence farming for their livelihoods. Inadequate rains and erratic rainfall patterns (delayed timing, low frequency) are widespread in semi-arid central regions of the country. This is common in Dodoma and Singida. It affects the timing of crop harvests and amount of food stocks. Dwindling food stocks, increasing food prices and seasonal shifting of maternal workload towards casual labour are apparent during the postharvest season (116). It was reported that 45-55% of households in central regions were food insecure in 2006, whereas over one-third of households with …