Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), is working with the National Government and County governments to enforce compliance through surveillance.
GAIN has been working in the country to improve Kenya’s nutrition situation by addressing the availability, accessibility, affordability and desirability of nutritional foods since 2010.
Leah Kaguara, GAINs Country Director, said that they have been supporting government fortifications of packaged maize flour, flour and edible oils mandated by the policy enactment.
Speaking during celebrations of GAINs 20 years in existence and working in Kenya for the last 12 years, , the Director said the biggest challenge had been compliance but the government has addressed this by moving to counties and involving health offices and a lot of SMEs who cannot afford the technologies to be able to fortify their products.
She stated that the main purpose was to ensure that all malnourished people have access to safe nutrition food, and that food is fortified with micronutrients.
“The rate of compliance in terms of statistic’s its about 40 percent but also varies from millers to millers and most of them have been complying and Kenyans should therefore be confident when they buy packaged flour that it is fortified , it is safe” , she said
Muguika said that they have been working with last-mile vendors, markets, and businesses to ensure that everyone can get safe food at their door.
Through the SUN Business Network (SBN) , she said , they have so far signed up about 130 small, medium and large enterprises business across food value chains and counties in order to contribute to the reduction of malnutrition by enabling businesses to supply safe and nutritious food to consumers.
She explained that the government has been leading the SUN Business Network (SBN), through the ministry for health, trade, and agriculture.
“Making sure that consumers and also the providers of the key staple foods namely millers and manufacturer’s package and fortify the productions in the right way but also make consumers aware of the nutritious food to consume”, she added
“As GAIN, we are happy that the government follow up on compliance on the right fortification standards and what Kenyans consume is safe and fortified with the right nutrients
The Director appealed to Kenyan to buy packaged foods especially maize and wheat flour that have a marked label ‘food fortified ‘showing that the food is certified and has the right minerals and nutrients.
Muguika stated that GAIN will be moving forward in the next five to ten years. Their goal and intention is to make consumers aware of good nutrition and help them make informed choices.
Dr. Andrew Mulwa, Ag. Director Ministry of Health, Head of Nutrition Services said that the ministry of trade and health has been working to improve the food ecosystem market.
“In 2015 we developed the law on food fortification and it is mandatory now that the big industry players ensure fortification is done and although there are some small and middle enterprises which might not have the capacity do this, government with organizations such as GAIN are working with SMEs to get the capacity and equipment in assisting them”, he said
Dr. Mulwa added the government has made major strides in food fortification especially in Vitamin A. “ Over 80 percent of our food is fortified with Vitamin A and the ministry of health has set the standards and is working with SMEs and also posho mills to ensure they comply ”.
Food fortification can be a cost-effective way to prevent and manage micronutrient deficiencies and it allows for high population coverage. Kenya has made good progress in food fortification with the support of the government and its development partners.
According to current data, 24 wheat millers fortify about 80% of the wheat flour on the market, 47 maize maize millers fortify 37% of the maize flour, 14 vegetable oil processors fortify 87 percent of vegetable oil and fats on the market, and three large scale salt processors fortify 99.9% of the salt produced in the country.
By Wangari Ndirangu
Source: kenyanews