Poor nutrition may be accelerating the spread of HIV in Africa and could slow treatment and care for people living with AIDS.

Speaking at the launch of the African Plant Breeding Academy at the World Agroforestry Centre, Professor Onesmo Ole Moiyoi from Kenya's Aga Khan University, outlined how malnutrition leads to suppression of the immune system, which can increase the risk of catching infections including HIV.

"This could explain the high HIV prevalence among the struggling poor but more studies are needed to establish if there is a direct link," said Moiyoi.

The African Plant Breeding Academy is hoping to improve the health and nutrition of African smallholder farmers and their families as well as boost Africa’s food supply. Using the latest scientific equipment and techniques, the Academy will genetically sequence, assemble and annotate the genomes of 100 traditional African food crops in order to develop food crops with higher nutritional value which can better withstand climate changes, pests and disease.

A lack of access to sufficient nutrition food leads to “deficiencies of micronutrients such as minerals, iron and vitamin A, and has a direct impact on the high mortality and morbidity rates among children - particularly those living with HIV,” says as an article on All Africa.

Read the full story: Experts Link Hunger to Aids in Africa

Learn more about the African Plant Breeding Academy: ICRAF and partners launch first African Plant Breeding Academy