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Fortifying Africa’s Future - Fortifier
L’avenir de L’Afrique
This website is dedicated to fortifying Africa's future through
the elimination of vitamin and mineral deficiencies (VMD) in Africa and
provides reference materials for the use of governments, producers of flour,
edible oils, sugar, salt and other foodstuffs, and NGOs.
The Problem
Millions of children die unnecessarily every year from
illnesses, more than 50%, according to the World Health Organization (WHO),
because malnutrition, including vitamin, zinc, folic acid and mineral
deficiency, reduces their resistance to disease. Some 40-60% of young children
in developing nations suffer from iron deficiency in early childhood that
disrupts their cognitive development significantly and irreversibly.
Every year 43 million babies are born with inadequate
protection from mental impairment caused by iodine deficiency. In Asia and
Africa, severe anemia claims the lives of an estimated 60,000 women in
pregnancy and childbirth every year.
In sub-Saharan Africa alone, more than 200 million people
are malnourished, as food security remains a significant concern. Conflict,
HIV/AIDS, debt and poor and inequitable access to health services all
contribute to the high levels of disease and malnutrition. Vitamin and mineral
deficiency (VMD) compromises the economic development of most developing
nations, causing the preventable loss of up to 2% of their gross domestic
product.
The Solution
In 1990, leaders attending the World Summit for Children
pledged to protect the world's children from micronutrient malnutrition. In
1992, the Micronutrient Initiative was born out of that pledge. This is one of
the unique partnerships of governments, private companies and civil society
that are working together to scale up the best ways of tackling VMD, and to
reach more vulnerable and disadvantaged populations.
The Micronutrient Initiative focuses on the
fortification of wheat and corn (maize) flour; edible oils, particularly palm
oil and sunflower oil; refined sugar and salt with iodine, iron, zinc, calcium,
magnesium, copper, selenium and vitamins A (Retinol), B1 (Thiamin), B2
(Riboflavin), B3 (Niacin), B6 (Pyridoxin), B9 (Folic Acid), B12, C (Ascorbic
Acid), D, E (Tocopherol). |
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The FORTAF Website and Newsletter
The objectives of this website and our monthly newsletter
are to inform interested parties, including governments, NGOs, the food
industry, scientists, the general public, the media and potential donors about
recent advances and activities in the fortification arena, as well as alert
them to the results, latest advances and remaining challenges in eliminating
micronutrient deficiency, especially in Africa.
This website provides a valuable information resource for
the African food industry, which includes farmers, food manufacturers and
processors, and equipment and premix suppliers. In particular, we provide
advice on the assistance available to companies wishing to fortify their food
products. |
Wheat flour, maize flour, oil and sugar fortification
(with iron, folate, B vitamins and/or vitamin A) has already started in
countries like Zambia, South Africa, Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire and Guinea,
while fortification is being initiated in Kenya and Mali. With the exception of
South Africa and Nigeria, where food fortification of selected foods is
mandatory, fortification is done on a voluntary basis by pioneering companies.
Other industry leaders are now invited to join them in adopting fortification
as a business development strategy and a contribution to Africa’s
development.
Some thirty three countries are regularly fortifying salt
with iodine, and several of these, including Benin, Cameroon, Mali, Nigeria,
and Zimbabwe have achieved high rates of salt fortification. Over 70% of all
new-born babies are now protected from brain damage due to iodine deficiency.
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