"Carrot and Stick"

An old saying is in order to get someone to do something you should use both "a carrot and a stick." Well, the only "stick" I use is firewood, but I sure do use carrots. Sub-Saharan Africa very commonly has vitamin A deficiency and in Masindi it used to be unusual to see carrots. Many people if they saw carrots in the market could neither afford them nor did they know what to do with them. I have been pushing carrots for the last three years by nutrition teaching, free seed distribution, and teaching people to bake carrot cake. People here love cakes though few know how to bake one. By teaching carrot cake, I get people to plant carrots at home--a few of which will go into a carrot cake and most will go in to bean stews and such. Now kids are learning about (and love to eat) carrots and I've even had carrots stolen from my yard. Now I can go in the market and see piles of carrots with different vendors. Hurray for the carrot, a great source of Vitamin A.