Significant progress in food fortification has been achieved throughout Africa. However, support for continued expansion of staple food fortification to more countries is required to further bolster food fortification to prevent and control micronutrient deficiencies.
Africa loses 1.5% of GDP annually to micronutrient deficiencies while 70% of African countries have mandatory fortification laws, but enforcement varies.
Farmers in 13 African countries, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Rwanda, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, are already growing bio-fortified crops and have incorporated them into their national nutrition policies and programs.
In Ghana, food inspectors struggle to enforce fortification regulations. Ghana’s fortification laws required staples like flour, rice, and oil to be enriched with micronutrients. However, inadequate funding and corruption are hindering effective monitoring while extension services and distribution networks rarely reach remote areas.
Traders who sell staple foods in communities within the sub-region know the importance of nutrition, but providing fortified foods appears to be a daunting task since many consumers prioritize affordability over nutrition despite knowing the importance.
There is a need for continued capacity building and systems strengthening by state actors to further boost food fortification to prevent and control micronutrient deficiencies.
The Operations Manager for the Food Fortification Programme within the sub-region, Elizabeth Boena, during an interview highlighted the progress made so far with the initiative, but was quick to also touch on the need for Harmonization of fortification standards and regulations across sub-regions to facilitate the growth and development of fortification programmes.
‘‘At the beginning of the project, we did a lot of research and we found that because of lack of financial resources the actors who were trained to facilitate the programme implementation stopped because of lack of equipment and a whole lot.
There was no coordination platform at the regional level to guide the national programmes. Now we have made a lot of progress but there is a need for continued capacity building and systems strengthening by state actors to further boost food fortification to prevent and control micronutrient deficiencies.” She explained.
While the private sector has an important role in making available high-quality fortified foods that consumers can access, continued efforts to improve the capacity of the food industry and government regulatory bodies are critical to ensure compliance and the production of safe, quality foods.
Technical Advisor- Private Public Partnerships and Alliances for large-scale food fortification program West Africa, Koblan Koffi Ange says it’s important for communicators to champion the cause to promote nutrition.
‘‘We have oil and salt and flour which we have vitamin A, Iron, folate and zinc in all so the communication on this is very critical to promote nutrition within communities. Help us to communicate these benefits as communicators. Now you know the benefits and why the people must be educated and informed. The issue is critical and so it must be tackled aggressively.” He charged.
Multi-stakeholder national fortification alliances have facilitated efforts to coordinate partners, engage consumers, and mobilize political and private sector will, to fortify and continue to have an important role to play in ensuring the effectiveness and sustainability of fortification programmes.
EFFECTS OF MICRONUTRIENT DEFICIENCY:
• Stunted growth and damaging health.
• Reduced productivity and increased healthcare costs for economies.
• Future generations inherited malnutrition cycles.
A CALL TO ACTION;
• Strengthen regulations and enforcement.
• Increase access to fortified foods, especially in rural areas.
• Educate consumers about fortification benefits.
• Support local manufacturers and farmers.
• Invest in biofortification research.
SOME FACTS AND FIGURES (SOURCE UNICEF) :
– 40% of African children under five suffer from stunting due to malnutrition.
– Africa loses 1.5% of GDP annually to micronutrient deficiencies.
– Food fortification can reduce micronutrient deficiencies by 20-30%.
– 70% of African countries have mandatory fortification laws, but enforcement varies.
