Improving nutrition
Zambia - Maize Meal Fortification Project
The goal of the maize meal fortification program is to significantly reduce micronutrient deficiencies among vulnerable sub-populations through mandatory fortification of commercially milled maize meal. This goal will be achieved if consumption of fortified flour by the target groups is increased from 5% to about 60% between 2005 and 2008. To do so, 32 commercial maize mills producing 60% of the national maize flour will fortify their products with vitamin A, B1, B2, B6, niacin, B12, folic acid, zinc and iron reaching six million persons, that is 60% of the total population or nearly 50% of the vulnerable and deficient population in the country by 2008.
All (32) commercial mills producing maize flour will fortify their products (‘breakfast’ and ‘roller’ maize meal) with fortificant as specified below. The total capacity of these mills is 1,350,000 tons per annum, of which capacity about 50% is presently utilised. This represents 60% of the total market -the remaining 40% is produced by small-scale hammer-mills.
Target group
Population 1. Under-Five Children – under-five children are to a greater extent affected by micronutrient deficiencies due to the various risk factors they are exposed to, including the high burden of disease, poor weaning diets, and rapid growth which calls for high nutrient demand.
Fortificant
Food vehicle
Maize flour
Outputs
The goal of the maize meal fortification program is to significantly reduce micronutrient deficiencies among vulnerable sub-populations through mandatory fortification of commercially milled maize meal. This goal will be achieved if consumption of fortified flour by the target groups is increased from 5% to about 60% between 2005 and 2008. To do so, 32 commercial maize mills producing 60% of the national maize flour will fortify their products with vitamin A, B1, B2, B6, niacin, B12, folic acid, zinc and iron reaching six million persons, that is 60% of the total population or nearly 50% of the vulnerable and deficient population in the country by 2008. <br />
<br />
All (32) commercial mills producing maize flour will fortify their products (‘breakfast’ and ‘roller’ maize meal) with fortificant as specified below. The total capacity of these mills is 1,350,000 tons per annum, of which capacity about 50% is presently utilised. This represents 60% of the total market -the remaining 40% is produced by small-scale hammer-mills.
Coverage
By end Year 3, total population reached is estimated at 6,100,000.
Date
02/27/2006
Description
The GAIN supported Project will contribute to Zambia’s on-going National Food Fortification Program. There are already three food items being fortified and available on the Zambian market – namely, salt, sugar and margarine. Salt fortification has been mandatory in Zambia since 1978, and 90% of national requirement is imported. Margarine is fortified with vitamin A and D and its fortification has also been mandatory since 1978. Mandatory sugar fortification with vitamin A began in 1998. There is also one other fortified product with which many millers are familiar - a High-Protein Energy Supplement (HEPS), which has been used for refugee operations and institutional feeding. The selected food vehicle for the GAIN supported project is maize meal, which is Zambia’s staple food. It is consumed on a regular basis by over 90% of the population with an average annual per capita consumption per person of 116 kg (318 g/day). In the long term the consumption of maize meal is expected to decrease slightly in both urban and rural areas due to crop diversification. There is no consumer price control on maize meal.
Key achievements
Grant agreement signed Project team hired Communications material drafted 33 maize millers signed Memoranda of Understanding for participation in the fortification project Acceptability studies will be available in November 2006.
