Fisheries are one of the fastest growing sectors in Bangladesh, making a significant contribution to the country’s GDP in recent years. The Government of Bangladesh (GoB) recently claimed that Bangladesh has achieved self-sufficiency in fish production, with an annual production of 4.134 million tons, in response to the annual demand of 4.05 million tons.
This is good news to us. The GoB reports that fish consumption is slightly above the recommended amount (60 g/capita/day), however, there is a concern about the equity of fish consumption; whether higher production has increased fish consumption among the poor.
Bangladeshis continue to consume large amounts of the staple food, rice; 70% of energy stem from cereals and only 3% from animal-source foods (ASFs). ASFs, especially fish are an important food group in the diets of women and children in the first 1,000 days of life for optimal growth, development and cognition. Thirty-five percent of the population consume low-quality diets, 6 out of 10 food groups.
Fish is a unique source of micronutrients, vitamin A, vitamin B12, iron, calcium, zinc as well as essential fatty acids and animal protein. A study on the nutrient composition of 55 common fish species of Bangladesh showed that small indigenous fish species (SIS) contain more micronutrients than large fish.
Large proportions of the Bangladeshi population, particularly pregnant and lactating women and children under five years of age suffer from ‘hidden hunger’; micronutrient deficiencies. Prevalence of stunting, underweight and wasting among children under five years of age are reported to be 36.1%, 32.6% and 14.3%, respectively. Vitamin A deficiency stands at 20.5% and 5.4% among children under five years of age and pregnant and lactating women (PLW), respectively. Thirty-three percent of children under five years of age and 50% of pregnant women suffer iron deficiency anaemia.
Zinc deficiency afflicts 44.6% of pre-school children and 57.3% of non-pregnant, non-lactating (NPNL) women. Prevalence of calcium deficiency is 24.4% for pre-school children, 17.6% for school-aged children and 26.3% for NPNL women. Poor Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices (such as initiation of complementary feeding before 6 months of age) contribute to poor nutrition. Moreover, only 22.8 percent of children aged 6-23 months receive minimum acceptable diet. A recent study revealed that 50% of caregivers introduced fish at 6 months of age and the mean age of introduction of small fish was 8.7 months, due to fear of feeding small fish with bones to young children.
To alleviate this pervasive micronutrient deficiency in women and young children in Bangladesh, fish, especially SIS can be the primary ASF, supplying multiple essential micronutrients. Using a standard portion size of fish (50 g/day for PLW and 25 g/day for young children), 14 SIS met ≥50% of the recommended nutrient intake (RNI) of calcium for PLW, and 18 SIS met ≥50% of the RNI of calcium for children (7-23months of age). Three species of SIS and one species of prawn met ≥25% of the RNI of iron for PLW and infants. Four SIS met ≥25% of the RNI of zinc for PLW and ≥25% of the RNI of zinc for young children. Three SIS: mola, dhela and darkina could potentially contribute ≥25% of RNI of vitamin A for PLW and infants in a standard portion. Only 17 grams mola (6-7 individual mola) can meet 100% of recommended intake of vitamin A for children under five years of age.
Cost benefit analyses (Khan 2016; Fiedler et al 2016) showed that enhancing homestead ASF production, especially mola can improve the nutritional status of women and children. Hence, several scientists (Thilsted and Wahab 2014; Karim et al. 2016; Bogard et al. 2015; Roos et al. 2002; Ahmed 2007) have promoted the production and consumption of SIS. Thus, production of SIS such as mola, dhela and darkina should be boosted in the vast number of homestead ponds (4.77 million) throughout rural Bangladesh. It has been shown that polyculture of carp species with mola has no negative effect on total fish production, however, the nutritional quality of the total production is greatly enhanced. In addition, the carp – mola polyculture is more profitable than polyculture of only carp species.
Process evaluation conducted by WorldFish has shown that increased production of mola does not ensure increased and frequent consumption of mola. Thus, introduction of an easy-to-use and convenient harvesting technology such as ‘women-friendly mola gill net’ promotes increased consumption. Promotion of fish-based products such as fish chutney for PLW women and fish powder for young children increases SIS consumption and can alleviate micronutrient deficiencies. Using fish powder has the advantage of overcoming the fear of bone in child feeding.
Fish is an irreplaceable ASF for the first 1,000 days of life for achieving optimal child growth, development and cognition. Every household pond along with other unused water bodies should be brought under the fish polyculture along with small indigenous fish to optimize the potential for fish production system to improve nutrition, particularly among vulnerable groups.
