An estimated 3 billion people cannot afford a healthy diet. Globally, six out of the top 10 risk factors for disease are diet-related. The effects of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with the effects of climate change and conflicts, have exacerbated malnutrition, in all its forms, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Micronutrient malnutrition now affects an estimated 2 billion people, causing significant disability and premature death.
The ideal solution for eliminating hidden hunger is consumption of age- and activity-appropriate healthy diets which include sufficient quantities of micronutrient-rich vegetal and animal source foods. Unfortunately, healthy diets are often not available or affordable.
The webinar will focus on the vital and complementary roles of biofortification and industrial fortification to ensure more nutritious and inclusive food systems. These two interventions use the most widely consumed and affordable food staples to increase micronutrient consumption. Together, these interventions are essential to the global effort to equitably improve diets for all.
Public and private sector panellists will focus on learnings and opportunities for scaling these interventions and reflect on how the UN Food Systems Summit (UNFSS) and Nutrition for Growth Summit (N4G) can be used to unleash new energy and commitments.
Objectives:
- Broaden decisionmaker support for and prioritization of industrial fortification and biofortification as no regrets, game changing interventions in the lead up to the UN Food Systems Summit and the Nutrition for Growth (N4G) Summit
- Demonstrate, through panellist perspectives, the case for complementarity of LSFF and biofortification and contribute to the growing evidence and expertise in combining the two interventions as equitable means of improving diets for all.
- Encourage new fortification commitments from low- and middle-income countries, donors, and private sector actors at both summits.
Featuring:
- Namukolo Covic, Senior Research Coordinator, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)
- Saskia Osendarp, Executive Director, Micronutrient Forum
- Zulfiqar Bhutta, Robert Harding Inaugural Chair in Global Child Health at the Hospital for Sick Children
- Anang Noegroho, Director of Food and Agriculture, Ministry of National development Planning, Indonesia
- Chris Isokpunwu, Director / Senior Technical Assistant to the honorable Minister of Health, Nigeria
- Sarah Mshiu, Senior Economist, Prime Minister’s Office, Tanzania
- Anang Noegroho, Director of Food and Agriculture, Ministry of National development Planning, Indonesia
- Stephen A. Vosti, Adjunct Professor, Dept. of Agricultural and Resource Economics, UC Davis