MUZAFFARABAD: Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) has become the first region in the country to launch a wheat flour fortification project with the assistance of a UN agency and a Canada-based non-governmental organisation.

The “Wheat flour fortification project” has been initiated by the AJK food department with the technical and financial assistance of World Food Programme (WFP) and Micronutrient Initiative (MI) from May last year initially for three years, but officials say it is most likely to be extended up to five years.

Nutritionists say nearly half of Pakistan’s children and mothers are suffering from malnutrition and the “situation has been worse than many sub-Saharan African countries.”

According to the National Nutrition Survey (NNS) of 2011, the ratio of stunting (low height for age) and wasting (low weight for height) had scaled up to 44 and 15 per cent from 31 and 12 per cent recorded in the NNS of 2001-02.

The ratio of anaemia has gone up to 63 per cent in children and 51 per cent in pregnant women compared to 51 and 29 per cent in 2001-02.

Similarly, the vitamin-A deficiency in children has increased to 54 per cent and in non pregnant women to 42 per cent from 13 and 6 per cent, respectively, in the 2001-02 NNS.

The only improvement has been observed in iodine deficiency, as its 63 and 76 per cent ratio in 2001-02 had decreased to 36 and 36 per cent in 2011.

“Without changing this situation, Pakistan risks suffering from a demographic nightmare of a growing unskilled, economically unproductive population rather than the demographic dividend which has powered its neighbours growing prosperity,” said Dr Ahsanullah Khan Bhurgri, MI’s national programme manager in Pakistan, at a workshop here on Monday.

The workshop was organised to sensitise the citizens about the consequences of micronutrient deficiencies and the use of fortified flour to address the iron deficiency anaemia among women and children.

Dr Bhurgri said AJK had been chosen for the wheat flour fortification project for multiple reasons, major one being the state controlled mechanism for allocation of wheat quota to the wheat flour mills for grinding and onward distribution and sale through food depots.

“Under the project, we are providing pre-mix (comprising iron and folic acid) to these mills not only for the state provided quota of wheat but also for what they purchase from the open market for grinding,” Dr Bhurgri said.

AJK minister for agriculture, animal husbandry and information Syed Bazil Ali Naqvi appreciated MI efforts to introduce cost effective and sustainable solutions to address the micronutrient deficiencies globally, particularly in Pakistan and AJK.

Published in Dawn, June 9th, 2015

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