The Federal Authorities will proceed to assist efforts at fortifying meals with micronutrients, Well being Minister Dr Osagie Ehanire has mentioned.
Ehanire made this identified through the 4th Annual Nigerian Meals Processors and Diet Management Discussion board on Thursday in Lagos.
The discussion board was organised by the Aliko Dangote Basis, the Invoice & Melinda Gates Basis (BMGF), and TechnoServe, beneath the Strengthening African Processors of Fortified Meals (SAPFF) programme.
The SAPFF Programme goals at addressing the lingering challenges within the meals fortification sector utilizing a market-based strategy to help over 90 meals processors enhance their capability to provide and promote fortified meals to native markets.
The Information Company of Nigeria (NAN) reviews that fortification is the method of including key nutritional vitamins and minerals which might be important for good well being to staple meals like edible oil, wheat flour, and sugar.
Ehanire mentioned meals fortification was an necessary pillar of well being technique, noting that it assists in illness prevention and well being promotion.
He mentioned that authorities would broaden the scope of inculcating micronutrients in meals to stem the tide of malnutrition arising from lack of micronutrients.
Additionally talking, Aliko Dangote, Chairman, Dangote Basis, mentioned that the non-public sector stays the engine of development for the Nigerian financial system.
“By creating a standard set of compliance requirements whereas additionally giving firms the instruments they should successfully fortify their meals, we’re making a sustainable path to delivering Nigerians meals that may assist them dwell more healthy, extra productive lives.
“Higher diet for our shoppers means higher well being and financial growth for our nation,” Aliko mentioned.
Additionally talking, Invoice Gates, Co-chair, Invoice & Melinda Gates Basis, who participated by video convention, mentioned that large-scale meals fortification was probably the most efficient instruments to make sure folks get the nutritional vitamins and minerals they should thrive.
“As we glance to assist an equitable restoration from the pandemic, nations and communities might want to deploy confirmed options to advertise cognitive growth, college efficiency, productiveness, and incomes potential.
“Companions in the private and non-private sectors should work collectively to speed up progress on fortification within the yr forward to understand the person and collective advantages to well being and growth,” Gates mentioned.
Additionally, Mr William Warshauer, Chief Govt Officer, TechnoServe, mentioned that progress had improved since SAPFF programme began, in spite some setbacks over the previous yr.
Warshauer mentioned that information launched by the agency demonstrated sustained fortification compliance for some key micronutrients and a decline for others.
He mentioned this was largely as a consequence of provide chain and logistic points attributable to COVID-19 which disrupted firms’ capability to safe important fortification supplies, particularly vitamin A.
Warshauer mentioned that information launched by the agency confirmed compliance ranges for salt fortified with iodine was sustained at greater than 90 per cent.
He famous that compliance ranges for edible oil fortified with vitamin A elevated from 25 per cent in 2018 to 33 per cent in 2020 and additional improved to 49 per cent by the top of 2021.
Based on him, compliance ranges for wheat flour fortified with vitamin A, vitamin B3, and iron elevated from 56 per cent in 2018 to 64 per cent in 2021.
He, nonetheless, famous that the ranking was a drop from the 93 per cent recorded in 2020.
Warshauer added that compliance ranges for sugar fortified with vitamin A additionally decreased from 31 per cent in 2018 to 26 per cent in 2021.
He famous that it was a drop from the 94 per cent recorded in 2020.
“The dramatic progress earlier than the pandemic signifies the sturdy potential of Nigerian firms for fortification practices that may enhance diet on a big scale,” he mentioned.
The World Financial institution information confirmed that poor diet prices Nigeria over 1.5 billion {dollars} in Gross Home Product (GDP) yearly, threatening the well being of residents and the financial potential of the nation.
It mentioned that fortifying staple meals like oil, flour, salt, and sugar with key nutritional vitamins and minerals was probably the most scalable, sustainable, and cost-effective instruments to fight malnutrition in Nigeria and worldwide.
