By Abdelkarim Jaiteh
A two-day forum on rice fortification, organise by World Food Program in collaboration with National Nutrition Agency, opened Thursday.
The objective of the workshop, according to the experts, is to gain a better understanding of the opportunities and challenges related to rice fortification in the context of The Gambia and how to devise a way forward.
Micronutrient deficiencies affect more than two billion people worldwide and are particularly prevalent in developing countries. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies increase morbidity and mortality rates throughout the life cycle and can hinder physical growth and cognitive development.
It is against this background that the nutrition experts converged to chart way forward for rice fortification which is another effective strategy to increase vitamin and mineral intake among the general population which have been recognized by several West African countries in the ECOWAS region.
Solange Heise, a nutrition officer at United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, expressed the effort taken by the United Nations in fighting against micronutrient deficiencies and hunger as part of it mandate, while raising concern over the high rate of malnutrition in the country despite the effort taken by the government of The Gambia and other stakeholders.
Heise also noted that it is important to find out how to maintain the loss ingredients during the fortification process especially in the rice in order to maintain the necessary ingredients which are essential.
Corinne Ringholz , nutrition expert at the United Nations World Food Programme in The Gambia, described micronutrients deficiencies as “a great challenge” which she said needs holistic and concerted effort to fight against.
Food fortification, according to the nutrition expert, is the most strategic idea to fight against micronutrient deficiencies and malnutrition which have affected billion of people around the globe, while promising her office readiness to work with government and other relevant stakeholders to work on rice and other food fortification for healthy growth.
Representing the executive director of National Nutrition Agency, the deputy executive director of the agency, Dr Amadou Bah, raised concern over the high rate of anemia in the country, revealing that it is high among children and pregnant women.
He described the training as “timely and significant” as far as healthy nutrition is concerned
Seventy-five percent of household in the country, according to Dr Bah, are now using iodize salt as a result of fortification process, stressing that the same process is needed for rice fortification in order to maintain the necessary ingredients content of the rice.