Leaf concentrate (or leaf protein) production continues to be promoted in the developing world but its feasibility as a community-based activity has never been adequately evaluated. In Sri Lanka the feeding of leaf concentrate to children attending Sarvodaya nursery schools has recently been implemented. Using hand-operated machinery and relying on community participation for leaf provision and processing, the objective was to provide leaf concentrate equivalent to 333 g of leafkhild daily.The feasibility of this process was evaluated by monitoring leaf provision, machine performance, community participation, attitudes, and acceptability over a seven month period.Leaf provision and community participation were found to be inadequate. The machinery was inefficient and unpopular, and the process was considered too time-consuming. Whilst the leaf concentrate itself was acceptable, this method of supplementing pre-school children is not sustainable in Sri Lanka. During the 1970s and 1980s dried leaf protein concentrate was incorporated into local foods, and feeding trials in India and

A three-day weighed dietary survey of 182 randomly selected Sri Lankan pre-school children attending Sarvodaya nursery schools was undertaken in 1989. The survey was part of a larger study of the possible effect of leaf concentrate supplementation on child growth and morbidity. The children were from low income families. Intakes of energy, protein, calcium, iron, zinc, vitamin A, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, ascorbic acid and folic acid were calculated and compared to F A O N H O recommended dietary allowances. The main dietary inadequacies were of zinc, niacin and vitamin A, and to a lesser extent, riboflavin, calcium and energy. Leaf concentrate supplementation may ameliorate deficits in vitamin A intake, and partly offset deficits in riboflavin and zinc intake. Alternative sources of vitamin A were widely available but were under-utilised. The main staple foods in this age group were rice, imported wheat and dried whole milk.