Nutrition Advisor United States Agency for International Development
Abstract: Nutrition is critical for health and human development. Vitamins and minerals, also known as micronutrients, are essential for good nutrition. Unfortunately, micronutrient deficiencies burden the majority of the global population, limiting their well-being and potential.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is addressing this challenge in part through large-scale food fortification. Large-scale food fortification is a proven, cost-effective intervention that adds essential vitamins and minerals at the processing stage to food items commonly consumed by the target population, such as cooking oil, flour, and salt. While proven impactful at preventing health implications, many food processors in developing countries face financial and technical barriers that limit the scale, quality and coverage of food fortification.
USAID’s new project, Advancing Food Fortification Opportunities to Reinforce Diets (USAID AFFORD) aims to safely and sustainably reduce micronutrient inadequacies and improve diets, particularly for women and children, through large-scale food fortification of staple foods. This discussion will demonstrate the need for increased investment in this intervention and highlight how USAID AFFORD will work with the food processing industry to navigate the barriers that hinder the impact of the food fortification system.
