Improving Nutrition - Central Asia
This Project aims to improve the nutrition status, and physical and mental capacity of the poor by piloting an umbrella regional programme for delivering micronutrient-fortified salt and wheat flour to the populations in the Asian Countries in Transition (ACT - Republic of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Republic of Tajikistan, and the Republic of Uzbekistan) region. The Project will particularly target poor women of reproductive age and children. It will aim to (i) focus support on people living in poverty currently afflicted or at risk; (ii) pilot related capacity-building processes for establishing a regional network of marketing, distribution, and rules of trade; and (iii) demonstrate the efficacy of a regional approach to solving a common nutrition problem that is depressing both human and economic development in the region. The Project was set to commence in April 2001 and end in June 2002. There have been some delays. As of January 2002, the project is in the beginning stages.
Communication Strategies
A Roundtable Conference. This will bring together representatives from ACT public health services, private sector (federations of flour millers and salt producers), NGOs that focus on women and children, representatives of external assistance agencies and senior central and local government officials. The Roundtable will seek policy commitment and agreement on the essential requirements for fortifying salt and flour, upgrading regulatory and trade policies, enriching food for people living in poverty, conducting population surveillance and food quality monitoring, and identifying potential follow-up activities.Regulatory authorities will develop food-testing instruments and surveys for monitoring the enriched food programme for mothers and children.Social marketing will be focussed on creating demand by people living in poverty. This activity will be managed by NGOs to promote public awareness and acceptance of micronutrient-enriched salt and wheat flour, targeting poor consumers.
Development Issues
Nutrition, Children, Women.
Key Points
Funders believe that 'Investing in eliminating IDD will make the education sector more productive by raising intelligence in the region. Investments in education cannot be successful and policy reforms will not be sustainable if the mental development of poor children and their mothers are impeded due to micronutrient deficiencies.'
In each participating country, an NGO partnership agreement will be drawn up to ensure that consultation with communities is maintained, and that locally tailored messages are created and disseminated widely through formal and informal media. Shifts in consumer preference to fortified salt and flour will be tested through follow-up surveys and focus group discussions. NGOs will be contracted to provide these services.
In each participating country, an NGO partnership agreement will be drawn up to ensure that consultation with communities is maintained, and that locally tailored messages are created and disseminated widely through formal and informal media. Shifts in consumer preference to fortified salt and flour will be tested through follow-up surveys and focus group discussions. NGOs will be contracted to provide these services.
Partners
The provision of fortified foods for poor children in prioritized pilot regions of ACT will be done through the private sector and NGOs as Implementing Agencies. Responsibility for the surveillance and monitoring component will be with the public health services in each participating country. The social marketing campaign will be implemented through NGOs in partnership with the respective governments.
Sources
"Asian Development Bank Proposed Grant Assistance to Asian Countries in Transition for Improving Nutrition for Poor Mothers and Children" provided by Catherine Viola, of ADB.
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