By: Haruna Kuyateh
National Nutrition Agency with funding from the World Food Programme Wednesday commenced a three-day training for salt producers and traders of iodization salt in Dasilami and Bwiamconcurrently.
Participants in the three-day training aimed at building the capacity of the various stakeholders on the process and procedures of salt production, storage, benefits of iodization, and safety precautions were drawn from Jokadou Dasilami, Karantaba, and Bakang in the North Bank Region.
Fatou Drammeh, Senior Programme Officer at NaNAhighlighted the importance of the training saying it will help to promote a modern way of salt production to enhance production and productivity.
She noted that iodized salt helps prevent iodine disorder deficiency such as goiter, stillbirth, and abortion among others. Iodine disorder deficiency remains a concern for NaNA and the government, as it affects the health and well-being of women and children.
Iodine is good for proper physical and mental development, she said, particularly adolescent girls, and pregnant and lactating mothers and it contributes to congenital anomalies.
Madam Drammeh used the training opportunity to call on participants to be vigilant and proactive and promote the use of nutritious food as it reduces anemia in pregnant women and children.
Mai Saidy and Binta Demba of Jokadou Karantaba, in Bakangsaid that modern salt mining is important and hailed the National Nutrition Agency and World Food Progamme for rolling out capacity building towards promoting the use of fortified salt to enhance the growth and development.
The training provides an opportunity to adopt best practices on hygiene and sanitation to ensure consumers get quality salt.
Isatou Drammeh, a salt vendor from Jokadou Dasilami, Fabakary Bass, Field Coordinator for the National Nutrition Agency among others highlighted the importance and benefit of iodine salts saying it is good fo