Islamabad: The launching ceremony of AJK Wheat Flour Fortification Initiative was held in Islamabad under the aegis of National Fortification Alliance. The State Government of Azad Jammu and Kashmir in collaboration with World Food Programme (WFP) and Micronutrient Initiative (MI) in its efforts to scale up nutrition interventions is committed for State wide wheat flour fortification.
An estimated 300,000 tons of fortified wheat flour shall be produced annually while engaging with 11 flour mills in Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK), reaching 65% of the population which are 2.6 million people including 500,000 women of child bearing age.
43.7 percent or over 10 million children under five years are stunted in Pakistan. The stunting prevalence in AJK is 31.7 percent whereas 46 percent are anemic compared to 62 percent in all the country. There is very high prevalence of other micronutrients deficiencies such as Vitamin A, D and Zinc. Only 7.3 percent of children 6-24 months receive the minimum acceptable diet, due mainly of poor dietary diversity.
Fortification is globally considered as one of the most cost-effective strategies to address micronutrient deficiencies with long term impact and high return rate as evidenced by the Copenhagen Consensus 2008 and Lancet Series on Maternal and Child Nutrition 2008, 2013.
Javed Iqbal, Minister for Food, AJK committed that the Government is ready to support policy, legislative and implementation measures for wheat flour fortification and this will be an important strategy to resolve AJK’s micronutrient deficiencies. Ensuring mandatory fortification of wheat in Pakistan can contribute towards reduction in anemia, said Dr. Baseer Achakzai, Secretary National Fortification Alliance.
Lola Castro, WFP Pakistan Country Director emphasized that increasing the micronutrient intake of the population through food fortification initiatives, mainly iron, folic acid and other essential micronutrients, is critical to reduce the prevalence of anemia and other micronutrient deficiencies in a sustainable way in the country and in AJK region as Pakistan is the 9th major wheat flour producer in the world with 25.3 million tons wheat flour produced in 2014 which is also exported. Pakistan wheat flour per capita consumption is also one of the highest in the world. She further acknowledged that this little investment will have a longer term effect on the population’s nutritional status.
It is estimated that micronutrient malnutrition alone causes a loss of 2.6% of GDP (Pakistan Economic Survey 2011-12, Ministry of Finance, Government of Pakistan 2102) in Pakistan, a loss that can be ill afforded. Considering the high cost of hunger and undernutrition, stemming these trends is both an economic and social imperative said Aslam Shaheen Chief Nutrition Planning Commission and SUN Focal Person Government of Pakistan.
Dr. Tausif Janjua, Country Director MI informed that this will only cost 10 paisa per kilogram of wheat flour to be fortified, but the impact will be huge, especially in reducing the maternal anemia. He further mentioned that initially the premix cost will be subsidized which will be gradually removed following the successful example of Universal Salt Iodization in Pakistan making it fully sustainable.
AJK Flour Mills Association and Pakistan Flour Mills Association representatives also assured their full support and commitment to this initiative and ensured that industry is willing to invest for the betterment of their population.
The speakers mentioned that under Vision 2025, it is a national priority to reduce malnutrition, particularly the prevalence of anemia and other micronutrient deficiencies and food insecurity in order for Pakistan to achieve its full potential, and wheat flour fortification, recognized as one of the most cost effective and high return nutrition intervention, is part of that essential strategy in Pakistan.
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