Partners
A number of agencies and initiatives provide technical assistance and
information to companies and government departments seeking such support. For a
more comprehensive listing of organizations involved in support to nutrition
programs, including food fortification, see Links.
The overall goal of A2Z - a USAID-funded project - is to increase the
use of key micronutrient and blindness interventions to improve child and
maternal health. A2Z works in collaboration with global and regional partners,
to implement proven interventions, using innovative approaches, particularly by
engaging the private sector.
The Regional Food Fortification Network is an initiative of the East,
Central and Southern Africa Health Community (ECSA) whose Secretariat is based
in Arusha, Tanzania. ECSA member states participating in this initiative
include Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Swaziland,
South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Other countries in the
region that are also participating include the Democratic Republic of the
Congo, Eritrea, Madagascar and Rwanda. Collaborating partners include UNICEF,
the Micronutrient Initiative and A2Z. Financial and technical support is
provides by USAID/REDSO/ESA and UNICEF ESARO.
The network is an interactive infrastructure of people in the public,
private and civic sectors who are working on behalf of fortification and who
leverage their collective resources and relationships to do so more
effectively. The Flour Fortification Initiative's goal is to see 70% of all
wheat flour rolled in roller mills fortified with at least iron and folic acid
by 2008 and to help communities get healthier, smarter and more productive.
The FFI web site provides up to date information on its activities and
data related to flour fortification.
The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, GAIN, provides financial and
technical support for innovative solutions to improve nutrition. Their mission
is to reduce malnutrition through the use of food fortification and other
strategies aimed at improving the health and nutrition of populations at risk.
With a focus on involving private sector, to use their know-how in product
development, marketing and distribution to achieve global nutrition goals, GAIN
emphasizes building alliances between public and private partners around common
objectives and developing innovative business models to make markets work in a
sustainable manner for the benefit of those suffering from malnutrition.
The Network for Sustained Elimination of Iodine Deficiency is an
alliance of major organizations that share a common commitment to assist
countries in reaching the goal of sustained elimination of IDD. The vision of
the network is of a world in which every child is born protected from iodine
deficiency, a world with the entire population protected from the loss of
intellectual and physical resources through this easily preventable cause of
mental retardation. The Network's mission is to support national efforts to
eliminate iodine deficiency in a sustainable manner by promoting collaboration
among public, private, scientific and civic organizations, and to harmonize
support efforts.
The Iron Deficiency Project Advisory Service (IDPAS) is a project of the
International Nutrition Foundation and the United Nations University, with
support from the Micronutrient Initiative. UNICEF, WHO, the US Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, and the Gerald J. & Dorothy R. Friedman
School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. IDPAS serves people
who work to improve iron nutrition worldwide. It provides technical information
on a range of interventions, including fortification of cereals with iron.
IDPAS Iron World responds to queries from researchers and project staff from
around the world including information on current research and on innovative
work to improve interventions and their delivery. This includes, for example,
guidelines on fortification; current research on fortificants and enrichment
premixes; and current and potential sources of funding and technical
assistance.
IZiNCG is an international group whose primary objectives are to promote
and assist efforts to reduce global zinc deficiency, with particular emphasis
on the most vulnerable populations of low-income countries. IZiNCG assists
assist public and nonprofit organizations in identifying zinc deficiency, and
developing and evaluating zinc intervention programs, including fortification,
aimed at improving the nutritional status and health of vulnerable populations
in low-income countries. It provides training through the production and
dissemination of technical information and translation of research findings for
program planning, implementation and evaluation of zinc intervention programs.
The Micronutrient Forum serves as a stimulus for policy-relevant science
and is a catalyst for evidence-based policies and programs that reduce
micronutrient deficiencies around the globe. The Forum is the successor of the
International Vitamin A Consultative Group and the International Nutritional
Anaemia Consultative Group, both founded in 1975 by the United States Agency
for International Development.
Micronutrient Initiative
(MI)
A Canada-based international not-for-profit organization, dedicated to
eliminating vitamin and mineral deficiencies worldwide, MI is an experienced
and longest-standing global organization specifically committed to eliminating
vitamin and mineral deficiency. With a breadth of experience on eliminating
micronutrient deficiency, MI works with partners to do basic research, set up
local fortification projects, and develop and implement national programs and
campaigns. MI's regional office for Africa is in Dakar Senegal, from where it
serves a wide range of countries and partners involved in food fortification
and other strategies to eliminate vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
From its founding, UNICEF has worked to help see that every child's
right to adequate nutrition is fulfilled. It helps children grow and thrive as
individuals. Proper nutrition helps give every child the best start in life.
UNICEF addressed this need through support for breastfeeding and infant and
young child feeding, micronutrients, and food security and emergency response.
The nutrition desk of the West African Health Organization hosts the
ECOWAS Nutrition Forum, and supports the coordination and facilitation of
nutrition activities in the region. With a commitment to addressing vitamin and
mineral deficiencies, it has hosted public private consultations on food
fortification, and supports the "Fortify West Africa" initiative.
The World Food Programme serves as the food aid arm of the United
Nations. It is the largest international food aid organization combating hunger
in nations with severe food shortages. It uses its food to meet emergency needs
and support economic and social development. WFP works to put hunger at the
centre of the international agenda, promoting policies, strategies and
operations that directly benefit the poor and hungry.
WHO is the directing and coordinating authority for health within the
United Nations system. It is responsible for providing leadership on global
health matters, including nutrition, shaping the health research agenda,
setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-based policy options,
providing technical support to countries and monitoring and assessing health
trends. Addressing vitamin and mineral malnutrition, is a cross-cutting focus.
It includes setting science-based norms and standards, and providing
recommendations and technical guidance to Member States and the international
community.
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