Kenya to fortify rice in effort to combat malnutrition

KENYA – The Kenyan Ministry of Health has announced plans to include rice in its national food fortification initiative, a move aimed to tackle burgeoning malnutrition cases in the country.

This follows the successful fortification of edible oils, wheat flour, and maize meal.

Mary Muthoni, the Principal Secretary for Health and Professional Standards, made the announcement during a regional consultation in Nairobi focused on sustainable universal salt iodization and food fortification for East and Southern Africa.

Muthoni explained that fortifying staple foods with essential vitamins and minerals, such as iron and zinc, will help ensure that all Kenyans have access to more nutritious meals.

“Our goal is to enhance the nutritional value of foods that are widely consumed by the population,” she said.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), food fortification involves the deliberate addition of micronutrients to food products to address nutrient deficiencies and improve public health.

In Kenya, food fortification efforts have been ongoing for years, with millers legally mandated to fortify edible oils, wheat flour, and maize meal under the Food, Drugs, and Chemical Substances Act.

However, rice fortification is a relatively new development, gaining traction as a result of its increasing role in Kenyan diets.

Capwel Industries recently pioneered this initiative by launching the first-ever fortified rice in Kenya and potentially the entire African continent. 

This groundbreaking product, enriched with essential vitamins B6, B1, B9 (folic acid), iron, and zinc, was introduced on June 3rd, marking a significant advancement in the region’s food industry.

Driven by its mission to enrich lives through nutrition and a core value of innovation, Capwell has taken a bold step beyond offering plain rice to deliver enhanced nutritional benefits at no additional cost to consumers. 

  Kenya’s rice consumption has surged in recent years, driven by shifting dietary preferences, especially among urban youth.

Currently, the country imports approximately 800,000 tonnes of rice annually, primarily from Asia, while domestic production lags behind, averaging 150,000 to 200,000 tonnes per year.

This gap has made rice fortification a critical focus for improving the nutritional content of imported and locally grown rice.

Ronald Afidra, Africa Network Coordinator for the Food Fortification Initiative, highlighted that while wheat flour fortification has long been a priority, the inclusion of rice reflects its rising consumption across Africa.

He pointed out that much of the rice consumed in Kenya is imported from countries like India, Bangladesh, and Vietnam, and stressed the need to fortify imported rice to improve its nutritional value.

The Kenya Bureau of Standards has already drafted an East African Standard for rice fortification, which is currently awaiting regional adoption. This will pave the way for the mandatory fortification of rice, once the policy is fully implemented.

The importance of rice fortification extends beyond Kenya, with several African nations, including Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Egypt, witnessing increased rice consumption.

Charles Opiyo, from the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), emphasized the potential of rice fortification to combat “hidden hunger”—a form of malnutrition caused by a lack of essential vitamins and minerals in the diet.

“Rice is a more resilient crop than maize, and fortification can be a powerful tool in combating micronutrient deficiencies in Africa,” Opiyo said.

He noted that GAIN is actively working with the Kenyan government and Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology on advanced rice fortification projects.

These initiatives include a detailed analysis of rice production and import volumes in Kenya, as well as consumer behavior and fortification potential.

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