GAIN Nigeria Champions Food Fortification to Combat Hidden Hunger By Raymond Enoch
In a significant stride toward eradicating malnutrition in Nigeria, the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) has intensified its efforts to combat hidden hunger through large-scale food fortification initiatives. Collaborating with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, GAIN has launched a $500,000 fund aimed at supporting regulatory agencies to enhance food fortification standards and compliance across the nation. This initiative focuses on promoting fortified foods, improving testing methods, and scaling up technological innovations such as the Digital Fortification Quality Traceability Plus (DFQT+).
.
At the heart of this endeavor is the Laboratory Analysis of Food Micronutrients (LAoFM) e-learning course, a collaboration between GAIN and the Institute of Public Analysts of Nigeria (IPAN). The third cohort of this program recently graduated in Lagos, equipping laboratory professionals with the skills necessary to verify and strengthen food fortification efforts under the Large-Scale Food Fortification (LSFF) program .
GAIN’s commitment extends to the education sector, where it advocates for the inclusion of fortified rice in Nigeria’s Home-Grown School Feeding Programme. This fortified rice, enriched with essential micronutrients like zinc, iron, folic acid, and vitamin B12, aims to address malnutrition among schoolchildren, a demographic particularly vulnerable to micronutrient deficiencies.
Through these multifaceted initiatives, GAIN Nigeria is not only enhancing food safety and nutrition but also fostering a culture of compliance and innovation in food fortification. As the nation continues to grapple with the challenges of malnutrition, GAIN’s efforts stand as a beacon of hope, demonstrating the power of collaboration, education, and technological advancement in building a healthier future for all Nigerians.
