An Ecoregional Perspective on Malnutrition

In agrarian developing countries the natural environment is a key determinant of both poverty and nutritional status. Climate, terrain, and soil characteristics drive the agricultural system, determining in large part cropping patterns, choice of crops, yield rates, and overall productivity levels. The human resources crucial to agricultural productivity are also influenced by the natural environment. For example, conditions that encourage or mitigate the incidence and spread of disease have adverse effects on the health and nutritional status of rural families and in turn on their productivity.