Nutrition International, TechnoServe launch Millers for Nutrition Coalition in Pakistan

PAKISTAN – Nutrition International, in partnership with TechnoServe, has launched the Millers for Nutrition Coalition in Pakistan, marking a significant step toward combating malnutrition through large-scale food fortification.

The initiative, inaugurated at a provincial event in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, aims to bolster the nutritional quality of staple foods and ensure wider access to fortified products across the country.

It brought together key stakeholders, including Badaruddin Kakar, Chairman of the Pakistan Flour Mills Association (PFMA), provincial chairpersons, and representatives from the ghee industry.

PFMA Chairman Kakar highlighted the pressing issue of malnutrition, saying that millions of children and women in Pakistan suffer from nutritional deficiencies.

“Every individual has the right to adequate nutrition in the bread they consume,” he said, pledging the association’s full support for the initiative.

KP FMA Chairman Naeem Butt pointed out the province’s wheat supply challenges. “KP requires 5.2 million tons of wheat annually, yet production is limited to 1.2 million tons.”

Representatives from the Pakistan Flour Mills Association emphasized the critical role millers play in improving public health outcomes.

They highlighted the need for robust public-private partnerships to ensure the initiative’s success and called on industry leaders to prioritize fortification as a key business and social responsibility goal.

“Fortifying staple foods is one of the most cost-effective and scalable ways to address malnutrition. By working with millers and regulatory bodies, we can ensure that essential nutrients reach every household in Pakistan.”

The Millers for Nutrition Coalition is a global initiative empowering millers in eight countries across Asia and Africa, including Pakistan, to fortify staple foods such as wheat and maize flour, rice, and edible oils.

The coalition’s overarching goal is to improve the nutrition of 1 billion people by 2026 by ensuring access to high-quality fortified foods.

In Pakistan, where nutritional deficiencies, such as iron and vitamin A deficiencies, remain a public health challenge, the coalition is targeting the fortification of wheat flour and edible oils, which are dietary staples for millions.

The program also emphasizes the importance of promoting women’s leadership in the fortification sector to drive sustainable change.

The Millers for Nutrition Coalition has already gained traction in other countries, including Bangladesh, India, Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Nigeria, and Uganda.

In each region, the initiative aligns with local nutritional needs, building capacity for millers to adopt fortification practices, and working closely with governments to integrate fortification into national food safety standards.

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