In Benin, stunting persists as poverty and myths shape child nutrition

In northern Benin, farmer Sabi Bera Zakari worries more about his children's weight than their height. But development experts say his attitude reflects a broader problem: stunting, a form of chronic malnutrition, affects more than 30% of Beninese children under five, according to the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition.

Stunting means a child is shorter than the average for their age, a condition that is largely irreversible after the first 1,000 days of life and can impair brain development and long-term health. Many parents, however, do not recognize the issue because their children may otherwise appear healthy.

Boris Gloni, a development sociologist and former Hunger Project representative, has spent years trying to change such perceptions. He notes that some families avoid giving children milk and eggs, believing these foods could make them overly greedy or lead to stealing. In many homes, goats and chickens are kept as a form of savings, sold only in emergencies, not for daily nutrition.

Volunteers like Douro Wonkourou Idrissou, a nutrition support worker in the Borgou region, use color-coded tape to measure children's upper-arm circumference as a proxy for wasting. He says many families rely heavily on starchy staples like maize, yams, and cassava, with little variety. Mothers often work in gardens from early morning to late afternoon, leaving children hungry and losing their appetite.

Stunting is more common in the dry north, where drought can force families to move for pasture and sometimes survive on wild vegetable soup. Rolland Essou, who oversees northern Benin for The Hunger Project, says progress has stagnated, and some statistics even show rates rising despite programs like the World Bank-funded '1,000 Days' initiative launched in 2024. That pilot provides micronutrient supplements and school meals.

Essou points to household profiles: young, illiterate heads of households with many children are most vulnerable. Farmer Zakari, for instance, was unsure of his own age and his children's ages. His neighbor Fati Aboubacar, a mother of five, says her family can afford eggs only once a week.

Razak Kotchoni of CASCADE Benin stresses that efforts must begin before birth. Cultural taboos discourage pregnant women from eating eggs or drinking cornmeal porridge, fearing it would make them ravenous. His organization uses reflective dialogues with elders and mothers to challenge these practices and supports exemplary mothers as role models.

While some parents now seek help when children fail to grow, many still 'don't care,' says Idrissou. Aboudou Salamatou, Zakari's wife, admits her family lacks the means to diversify their diet. 'When we have a little money, we invest it in the field, in health, and in other problems,' she says, as a chicken pecks nearby—one of many kept as 'money in the bank,' not for eating.