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The World Food Programme (WFP), Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) and New Nigeria Foundation have called on the government to emplace guidelines for rice fortification with micronutrients for improved nutrition globally.

Dr Corinne Ringholz, of Analytics and Science for Food & Nutrition, Nutrition Division, WFP, speaking on ‘Global Status of Rice Fortification,’ said 2.0 billion people suffer from micronutrient deficiencies, while 3.5 billion people consume rice as a staple food.

Thus, he argued, micronutrient deficiencies place a heavy burden on the health and economy of nations as 190 million preschoolers are affected by the vitamin-A deficiency.

He added that 1.1 million yearly deaths are recorded due to vitamin-A and zinc deficiencies and 136,000 yearly deaths of women and children are recorded due to iron-deficiency anaemia.

Again, the analyst said there are 300,000 global birth defects due to maternal folate deficiency, while 45 per cent of child deaths are caused by undernutrition.

She said: “Three to 11 per cent Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is lost in Asia and Africa as a result of undernutrition.”

She claimed that rice fortification can appear a solution to the malnutrition challenge and that it had been adopted in developed countries since the early 20th Century and ranked by the Copenhagen Consensus, 2012, as one of the highest return on investment interventions in global development

She said rice fortification had been endorsed by WHO, WFP, UNICEF, FAO, the World Bank and many development partners and mandated by many governments, saying, “Salt and wheat flour fortification are illustrative success stories.”

Regional Rice Fortification Advisor (Asia & The Pacific) WFP Regional Bureau, Bangkok, Arvind Betigeri, while speaking on ‘Lessons, Challenges and Successes from Implementing and Supporting Rice Fortification in Asia: A deep dive in India and Bangladesh,’ in South Asia, anaemia is a ‘Severe’ public health problem (more than 40 per cent), and prevalence of anaemia in the region is higher than global prevalence.

But in South East Asia, he added, there is a moderate public health problem (20-39 per cent).

“There is a rise in anaemia rates among children under five and WRA. Half of the total undernourished people (an estimated 350.6 million people) and over half of the people affected by moderate or severe food insecurity in the world live in Asia (an estimated 1.03 billion people),” Betigeri lamented.

Since Asia is greatly dependent on rice as it is the basic staple for most of the population, including the region’s 560 million poor and provides more than 70 per cent of energy intake, rice fortification becomes economically expedient.

Strategic and technical guidance for scaling-up rice fortification around the world, Betigeri explained, includes policy development (standards, guidelines for regulations), facilitation and creation of demand, strengthening of rice fortification supply chain, food safety and quality assurance, and development a strategic roadmap for scaling-up rice fortification.

Former Director-General of WFP, A. K. M. Nurul Afsar, speaking on ‘Implementing Rice Fortification and Developing Standards for Rice Fortification Bangladesh,’ painted a nutritional scenario of Bangladesh and discussed standard setting for rice fortification, piloting of rice fortification, scaling up rice fortification and collaboration and synergies with local, national and international partners.