DEAR COLLEAGUE,
I have pleasure in sending you this first issue of our quarterly newsletter that aims to inform our partners and friends about GAIN’s activities and achievements in the fight against malnutrition.
We shall keep it brief and informative so that you can quickly get a sense of what GAIN is doing and what the results are of our partnerships and projects.
I hope this newsletter will be of interest to you, and I look forward to your feedback on our work on innovative and collaborative ways to fight malnutrition.
Marc Van Ameringen
Executive Director
UGANDA SIGNS AGEEMENT WITH GAIN FOR FORTIFICATION
GAIN signed an agreement with the Government of Uganda to support the national fortification program and increase the supply and demand for fortified wheat and maize flour, and edible oil. The project aims to further reduce prevalence of iron deficiency anemia and vitamin A deficiency of women of reproductive age, and of children under 15. GAIN will provide US$ 2.4 million over 3 years.
GAIN STARTS WORK ON IMPROVED NUTRITION FOR INFANTS AND YOUNG CHILDREN
GAIN issued a call for expressions of interest of companies and public-private partnerships for financial and technical support to projects for complementary foods and complementary food supplements. Those interested to develop and market new products for low income families in developing countries could submit their proposal through the GAIN website. Selected candidates will be invited to submit a full proposal. >> more
OIL FORTIFICATION AIMS TO INCREASE HEALTH OF 90 MILLION BANGLADESHIS
On 4 November, GAIN and its partners launched a national oil fortification program in Bangladesh. The program aims to produce 700,000 metric tons of fortified oil per year by 2010. Fortified oil will then have a market share of 70% and improve the health of 90 million people, including 30 million women and children who are most at risk of vitamin A deficiency. >> more
GAIN BUSINESS ALLIANCE BANGLADESH LAUNCHED AT START OF GAIN BOARD MEETING
Before the start of its Board meeting, GAIN organized the first-ever meeting of Bangladeshi business leaders to encourage the private sector to help improve nutrition. Mr. Rouf Chowdury of the National Vegetable Oil Refiners Association was appointed its chair by the GAIN Business Alliance Chair Mr. Paulus Verschuren, and launched a national school feeding fund as one of its first activities. >> more
GHANA LAUNCHES WHEAT FORTIFICATION PROGRAM
On 3 October, Ghana launched its national food fortification program that will fortify wheat flour with vitamin A, B vitamins, iron and folic acid. The program, a partnership of 35 organizations from the public and private sector, is set to produce fortified wheat flour for consumption by 19 million individuals, of whom 13 million people respectively are considered to be vulnerable to malnutrition. >> more
TECHNICAL CONSULTATION ON COMPOSITION OF COMPLEMENTARY FOODS IN INDIA
On 6 September in New Delhi, experts from government, NGOs, private sector and academia discussed the best compositions for industrially-processed and home-based complementary foods. They considered energy and nutrient needs, along with continued breastfeeding, of 6 to 24 months old children. Participants recommended that 30 gram per day of industrially-processed cereal-based complementary food could meet the needs of 6 to 8 months old children, and partially of those aged 9-24 months. The quantity recommended per day would remain the same for all age groups to promote use of traditional family foods as the age increases.
BOLIVIA FORTIFIES WHEAT FLOUR AND VEGETABLE OIL
President Evo Morales launched Bolivia’s national fortification program to fight iron deficiency. The project will fortify 90 percent of wheat flour designated for domestic consumption with iron, folic acid and other B complex vitamins; 90 percent of domestically consumed vegetable oil with vitamin A; and 70 percent of milk products designated for domestic consumption with iron, zinc, vitamin A and other micronutrients. >> more
GAIN LAUNCHES GAIN PREMIX FUND AND SALT IODIZATION AT CLINTON INITIATIVE
At the Clinton Global Initiative, GAIN launched the GAIN Global Premix Fund, which intends to provide loans and grants to enable companies to buy high quality and affordable premix for fortification of staple foods and emergency supplies. It also, with UNICEF, launched a new salt iodization program that aims to increase the percentage of households in the world who use iodized salt from 70% up to 85% by increasing salt iodization in 13 priority countries. >> more
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