DEAR COLLEAGUE,
I have pleasure in sending you the second issue of our quarterly newsletter to inform you about GAIN’s activities and achievements in the fight against malnutrition.
Our key concern over the past months has been the worldwide rise in food prices, which undoubtedly will result in higher rates of malnutrition amongst the poorest.
GAIN has therefore taken the initiative to tackle this issue. With our government, business and civil society partners, we are setting up a safety net for the 400 million people who are at risk of malnutrition.
This is the time to mobilize all stakeholders in nutrition to work together to avoid a massive increase in malnutrition rates, and prevent long-lasting damage to people, communities and economies.
Marc Van Ameringen
Executive Director
GAIN BOARD CALLS FOR ACTION TO TACKLE RISING MALNUTRITION AS FOOD PRICES RISE
The GAIN Board expressed its concern over rising food prices and the resulting increase in malnutrition at its meeting on 8 and 9 May in Brussels. GAIN started a new campaign to protect 400 million people who are expected to become vulnerable to malnutrition through a malnutrition safety net. The GAIN Board called on all stakeholders to accelerate action in nutrition to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. >> more
APPLY FOR THE GAIN AWARD – WWW.GAINAWARD.COM
GAIN has launched the GAIN Business Award for Innovation in Nutrition in association with the International Business Leaders Forum. The Award recognizes innovative companies that help fight malnutrition, improve public health and promote sustainable development. Companies of any size that are demonstrating leadership and best practice are encouraged to apply. >> more
EUROPEAN COMMISSION WELCOMES NEW BUSINESS MODELS THAT BENEFIT THE POOR
EU Commissioner Louis Michel met Jay Naidoo and Marc Van Ameringen at a high-level meeting on 8 May, and expressed the interest of the European Union to examine and stimulate business action that benefits the nutrition of the poor at the ‘bottom of the pyramid’. “[Such initiatives] add much needed value through local production and transformation processes, thus generating jobs and revenues,” he said.
BUSINESS ALLIANCE GLOBAL FORUM
Over 100 business leaders, government officials and representatives of civil society met in Brussels on 6 and 7 May for the GAIN Business Alliance Global Forum. The results? Strong interest of companies to join the Business Alliance, interest of the EU and other institutions in new business models that benefit the poor, a growing movement of new partnerships that use innovative business models to deliver improved nutrition to the poor, and growing investments that create multiple benefits for all involved. >> more
FORTIFIED FLOUR ON THE MARKET IN EGYPT
Egypt celebrated the availability on the market of fortified flour, commonly used in baladi bread, at a ceremony in Aswan, Egypt. Fortification with iron and folic acid should reduce widespread anemia by 28%. It is currently estimated to afflict 40% of the population in the most impoverished parts of the country. >> more
GAIN RECEIVES 100 EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST
Following the call for expressions of interest, GAIN received over 100 applications of companies and partnerships who want to increase access to fortified complementary foods and food supplements. Together with our efforts to promote breastfeeding and appropriate feeding practices, foods that are affordable and of good quality can help improve the health of infants and young children between 6 and 24 months of age. An independent review panel is currently evaluating these against a list of strict criteria. Successful applicants will be invited to submit a detailed business plan. >> more
INDIAN MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT DISCUSS MILK FORTIFICATION
At a meeting in Delhi on 12 March, MPs from different political parties and government officials discussed the fortification of food to deal with serious malnutrition in India, and agreed to move a bill to make fortification of milk with vitamin A and D mandatory. Addition of these vitamins could reduce in particular the prevalence of vitamin A deficiency, which is now at 50% among children. In Delhi, Mother Dairy already fortifies 900,000 litres of milk, and other major dairies are considering starting vitamin A fortification in a phased manner. >> more
LANCET SERIES ON MATERNAL AND CHILD UNDERNUTRITION LAUNCHED
The Lancet Series on Maternal and Child Undernutrition was launched at events in London and Washington DC. It revealed that 11% of the global burden of disease is caused by malnutrition; and that 3.5 million children die of it every year. GAIN Chair Jay Naidoo spoke at the event in Washington: “We concur with the report that the first six months of a child’s life should be exclusively focused on breastfeeding, and we have constantly reiterated this. In GAIN, we are committed to working with and empowering women’s groups to strengthen the fight against malnutrition” >> more
PARTNERSHIP WINS EFMD AWARD FOR CASE STUDY
An IMD case study on Tetra Pak’s school feeding in Nigeria, implemented in collaboration with GAIN, has won the 2007 Award for the best case study on corporate social responsibility of the European Foundation for Management Development. “The award recognizes the groundbreaking work of Tetra Pak and its partners to fight malnutrition, and stimulates new innovations by social entrepreneurs to tackle this major global challenge,” says Bérangère Magarinos, Senior Manager of GAIN. >> more
FORTIFIED FOODS LAUNCHED IN COTE D’IVOIRE
Helen Keller International, GAIN and the Ministry of Health of Côte d’Ivoire celebrated in Abidjan on 27 February the availability on the market of cooking oil fortified with added vitamin A, and wheat flour fortified with iron and folic acid. >> more
GATES FOUNDATION GRANTS US$ 38 MILLION TO SAVE CHILDREN’S LIVES
GAIN announced a US$ 38 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to fight malnutrition in young children. GAIN will use the grant to work with a range of stakeholders to promote breastfeeding, create an enabling environment for appropriate feeding practices, and work to increase access to nutritious foods for infants and young children between 6 and 24 months of age. >> more
