Food Security and Forests: Improving food security and nutrition in Lileko along the Congo River

Malnutrition is prevalent in much of the Congo Basin. Micronutrient deficiencies are especially problematic for women and young children and can lead to impaired immunity, increased mortality and morbidity, as well as impaired physical growth and cognitive development in children. Developing successful strategies to appropriately combat malnutrition requires a contextualized understanding of how the main drivers of malnutrition – diets and infection – interact to contribute to poor nutrition outcomes.