Scaling Up Rice Fortification in Asia

When

16 September 2014 – 19 September 2014

Where

Location: Bangkok, Thailand

Region: Asia-Pacific

Objective

Adding essential vitamins and minerals to rice could be a cost-effective way to address micronutrient deficiencies in Asia. Rice is the staple food for 3 billion people in the world – most of them in Asia. Rice fortification is an ideal platform to help people get the micronutrients they need, without having to change their eating habits.

This conference hosted discussions about the latest evidence on the effectiveness of rice fortification, best practices from countries where rice is already being fortified, and the latest developments in technologies and policies. A final report is being drafted for a future supplement of Sight and Life. In the meantime, see the presentations below for more information. Also see answers to frequently asked questions about rice fortification.

Nearly 200 representatives attended from countries which are planning or already working to introduce the distribution of fortified rice. Countries represented included Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, the Philippines and Sri Lanka.

Participants included government and private sector representatives, as well as experts in nutrition, public health, food technology and development issues, donors to development and humanitarian activities, and representatives from the private sector, such as rice traders and millers, to provide information about the commercial viability of rice fortification.

See the report of the meeting in this publication from Sight and Life and the World Food Programme.

Summary

The meeting brought together representatives from the Ministries of Health, Agriculture, Industry and Trade and Finance and the National Food and Nutrition Centre, Fiji, and the Global Health Institute, Sydney. The planning meeting was primarily to exchange ideas and discuss Fiji’s commitment to improving food security and health, following its adoption of the Framework for Action for a food secure Pacific at the Food Summit in Vanuatu in April 2010, and its subsequent endorsement at the Pacific Minister’s meeting in August 2010. The main focus of the meeting was on food fortification efforts, particularly Fiji’s interest to fortify rice with micronutrients and to align its fortification of flour to the revised World Health Standards.

Presentations

• Delivery options and current status of rice fortification – Presented by Karen Codling, FFI

• Introduction to rice fortification – Presented by Peiman Milani, PATH

• Concerns, myths and misconceptions of rice fortification – Presented by Helena Pachón, FFI

• Lessons learned from flour and salt fortification – Presented by Roland Kupka, UNICEF

• WHO evidence-informed global guidelines development – Presented by Katrin Engelhardt, WHO

• Overview of trials and evidence: Is rice a good vehicle for micronutrient fortification? – Presented by Saskia de Pee, World Food Programme and Tufts University; and Megan Parker, PATH

• Technology for rice fortification; finding practical solutions – Presented by Scott J. Montgomery, FFI

• Highlights of Technical Consultation for Rice Fortification in Public Health – Presented by Regina Moench-Pfanner, GAIN

• Rice landscape analysis – Presented by Rizwan Yusufali, GAIN

• USDA-FAS’s micronutrient fortified food aid products pilot – Presented by Paul Alberghine, USDA

• Strategic directions for nutrition – Presented by Sutayut Osornprasop, World Bank Group

• Cost and financing – Presented by Katrien Ghoos, World Food Programme

• Linking rice fortification opportunities with nutrition objectives – Presented by Christiane Rudert, UNICEF

• Rice fortification in Costa Rica: a case study – Presented by Luis Tacsan

• Standards for rice fortification – presented by Saskia de Pee, World Food Programme and Tufts University

Sponsors

• Food Fortification Initiative (FFI)

• Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN)

• Micronutrient Initiative (MI)

• PATH

• United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)

• United Nations World Food Programme (WFP)

Note that the presentations are made on behalf of the organizing committee.