Passionate about developing and implementing solutions for hidden
hunger, the Micronutrient Initiative works in partnership with governments, the
private sector and civil society organizations to address vitamin and mineral
deficiencies, which affect one third of the world's population. Its mission is
to develop, implement and monitor innovative, cost-effective and sustainable
solutions in partnership with others. With headquarters in Ottawa, Canada, MI
maintains regional offices in Dakar, Senegal and New Delhi, India. MI has been
a pioneer in the area of food fortification in Africa, having conceived of and
undertaken many projects, including the very successful fortification of wheat
flour in South Africa, oil and wheat fortification in Kenya and a regional oil
fortification partnership in West Africa.
MI
Working to Fortify Food in Africa
Far too often, people in developing countries do not have access
to nutritious foods that help entire communities grow strong, healthy and
prosperous. Across Africa, women, men and children lack adequate amounts of
vital micronutrients in their diets, resulting in slow learning, reduced
productivity and deaths from curable diseases. To address this, the
Micronutrient Initiative is working with food processors, community groups and
local farmers to ensure their food is fortified with low-cost, life-saving
vitamins and minerals.
Through the FortAf website and email newsletter, MI is working to
bring together African grain, oil, sugar and salt producers to fortify their
products with essential vitamins and minerals. The FortAf website
(www.fortaf.org) serves as an information resource and portal focused on
fortification and food processing industries in Africa.
On the ground, MI works with community food processors to ensure
staples foods are nutritious.
Iodizing Salt
in Africa
Already, MI has had success in increasing the proportion of salt
that is fully iodized in major African salt producing countries such as Sudan,
Senegal, Ethiopia, Ghana, Mozambique, Tanzania and Angola.
This work has included tailoring salt iodization equipment to fit
the needs of different sized salt production plants, tools for monitoring at
the production level and developing a training video and an operation manual
for salt iodization equipment.
Benin, Cameroon, Mali, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe have achieved high
rates of salt iodization. Over 70 per cent of all new-born babies are now
protected from brain damage due to iodine deficiency.
Food
Fortification
In countries, such as Kenya, Mali, Nigeria, South Africa and
Zambia, MI is working to help farmers and food processors fortify wheat flour,
maize flour, oil and sugar with iron, folate, B vitamins and/or vitamin A.
With the exception of South Africa, Nigeria and Zambia, where food
fortification of selected foods is mandatory, fortification is done on a
voluntary basis by pioneering companies.
MI is also a partner in a regional initiative where the cooking
oil industry in several West African countries has committed to fortify their
products with vitamin A. |