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Namibia pushes for food fortification to reduce stunting in children

Xinhua, September 8, 2016 Adjust font size:

Namibian Agronomic Board (NAB) has passed a resolution stipulating that by April 1, 2017, food fortification will be a licence requirement for all millers who supply milled grain to the general public.

NAB in the recent months has spearheaded an initiative to broaden the practice of fortifying milled Mahangu and white maize meal as well as wheat flour with micronutrients.

According to the board, once a predetermined ratio of micronutrient cocktail is added to the milled product, the commodity that is sold to the public is significantly increased in nutritional value and has the potential of mitigating avoidable illnesses such as stunted growth and wasting.

Former Prime Minister of Namibia, founder and Chairman of the Namibia Alliance for Improved Nutrition said that adding micronutrients to processed grain and cereals to enrich the nutritional quality of food is standard practice around the world and helps to promote public health.

Currently in Namibia, the practice of fortification is not yet compulsory even though some of the bigger milling operations have been fortifying their meal and flour on a voluntary basis for some time. Endit