Private Sector Leaders Launch Playbook to Combat Hidden Hunger

From the newsletter

A group of global corporate leaders have unveiled a new playbook designed to accelerate food fortification efforts across Africa. It aims to address micronutrient deficiencies, commonly referred to as hidden hunger. Affecting billions of people, hidden hunger is worsened by climate change, which limits access to nutrient-rich foods, making fortification essential for global nutrition security.

• The playbook provides businesses in Africa with strategies to combat hidden hunger, enhance nutrition security, and promote healthier, more sustainable food systems.

• Food fortification is a proven, cost-effective solution to improve food and nutrition security on a large scale. Yet, despite its potential, businesses in Africa encounter complex challenges that hinder the acceleration of fortification efforts.

More details

• The playbook, co-created by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development and Eat Well Global, provides businesses with comprehensive strategies to effectively address challenges and implement food fortification. It also serves as a vital resource for policymakers, NGOs, and stakeholders focused on nutrition security. The guide outlines the success factors, challenges, enablers, and strategies necessary to promote impactful and sustainable fortification efforts aimed at enhancing global food and nutrition security.

• According to the playbook, the private sector can identify suitable businesses for fortification by employing data-driven strategies. An analysis of national dietary surveys can reveal public health gaps on micronutrient deficiencies among vulnerable groups such as pregnant women and children. Understanding local consumption patterns is essential for targeting appropriate foods and channels for fortification, while assessing consumer awareness of deficiencies is crucial for encouraging the uptake of fortified products.

• Despite its potential to improve public health in Africa, the playbook highlights several barriers to food fortification efforts. These include low consumer awareness, the high costs associated with product reformulation, and fragmented policy frameworks across countries, all of which contribute to increased production costs. Furthermore, inconsistent enforcement of fortification standards undermines compliance and limits the effectiveness of fortification initiatives.

• Micronutrient deficiencies remain a critical public health issue in Africa, leading to stunted growth, illness, and reduced cognitive and working capacity. In West Africa, 19 million children under five are stunted, and nearly half of women of reproductive age are affected by anaemia. To date, 29 African countries have made food fortification mandatory. In Kenya, the proportion of fortified maize flour increased from 51% in 2018 to 70% in 2022; however, experts stress that greater compliance from food manufacturers is necessary to sustain this progress.

• Tanzania and Kenya are notable leaders in food fortification in Africa. Under President Samia Suluhu, Tanzania has been globally acknowledged for its fortification efforts, which have significantly improved maternal health and child survival rates. Since the 1990s, the country has fortified salt with iodine and mandated the fortification of wheat, maize, and oil with essential micronutrients since 2011. Similarly, Kenya has required the fortification of maize and wheat flour since 2012, although compliance remains a challenge.

Our take

• African food systems are caught in the crosswinds of a shifting climate which escalates hunger and malnutrition. Within this challenge lies an opportunity, food fortification. It has the ability to reshape food systems so they deliver nutritious food in a fair and sustainable way. 

• Food fortification involves deliberately increasing the levels of one or more essential nutrients in a food to enhance its nutritional quality and offer public health benefits with minimal health risks, regardless of whether those nutrients are naturally present in the food.

• Private sector investment in fortification is essential for addressing hidden hunger, but businesses must prioritise compliance and affordability. Without strict adherence to fortification standards and efforts to keep fortified products affordable, the potential impact on public health for vulnerable populations will be compromised.