The widespread prevalence of micronutrient deficiency is a major cause of poor human
health in many developing countries of Asia. Integrating micronutrient-rich foods such
as vegetables, fruits and livestock products into diets is the most practical and sustainable
way to alleviate micronutrient deficiency. Vegetables are efficient sources of
several important micronutrients, both with respect to unit cost of production and per
unit of land area. However, vegetable consumption in most Asian countries is far below
the level required to meet the micronutrient requirements. This is further aggravated
by seasonal and annual fluctuations in vegetable production and consumption. The per
capita consumption of vegetables has stagnated at low levels in most Asian countries,
and real vegetable prices are on the increase. Policies to ameliorate micronutrient
deficiency include reduction in the relative prices of vegetables, increase in income,
enhancement of micronutrient contents in vegetables, generating awareness among
consumers about the role of vegetables in human health, improvement in vegetable
cooking and processing methods and improvement in the gestropolitics of micronntrient
distribution. Enhancing vegetable supplies through low-cost production and marketing
technology, and advance vegetable cooking and processing methods coupled
with educational programs to promote a balanced diet is considered the most efficient
strategy to solve the problem of mineral and vitamin deficiency, along with an
increased food and income security, new jobs, food diversity, and enhanced sustainability
of agricultural production systems that results from the diversification of
these systems. Such efforts should not be targeted at a single vegetable or single
micronutrient, but rather to enhance overall vegetable supplies, especially during the
lean supply period, as well as to increase their diversity usually demanded by consumers
when they start consuming more vegetables.