When
When28-29 July, 2026
Where
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Summary
From July 28–29, 2026, the Food Fortification Initiative (FFI) and the World Food Programme (WFP) convened a two-day technical workshop in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, to support the implementation of a streamlined regulatory monitoring system for food fortification. The workshop, held at Homewood Suites by Hilton Santo Domingo, brought together representatives from the Ministry of Public Health (MSP), the Dirección General de Medicamentos, Alimentos y Productos Sanitarios (DIGEMAPS), the Instituto Nacional de Bienestar Estudiantil (INABIE), the Institute of Nutrition of Central America and Panama (INCAP), Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM), the Asociación Dominicana de Espina Bífida e Hidrocefalia (ADEBHI), and WFP. Participants reviewed the current food fortification landscape in the Dominican Republic, explored the proposed monitoring system, identified barriers and opportunities for implementation, and worked collaboratively to develop institutional implementation plans and a multisectoral roadmap for a pilot project. The workshop comes at an important time, as recent national monitoring data indicate challenges with compliance with fortification standards, including insufficient iron in 97.8% of rice samples and insufficient folic acid in 99.6% of rice samples. Key barriers identified by participants included limited resources, laboratory capacity, trained personnel, and access to analytical equipment, while strong government support, institutional commitment, and existing multisectoral coordination through the Mesa Técnica de Fortificación de Alimentos were identified as important facilitators. Following the workshop, FFI and WFP will continue working with national partners to develop a consolidated implementation plan, support the pilot implementation of the streamlined monitoring system, and strengthen collaboration and data collection to improve the quality and nutritional impact of fortified foods in the Dominican Republic.
