Manan Mandokhail :
QUETTA: Director-General Balochistan Food Authority (BFA), Muhammad Naeem Bazai has termed food fortification crucial for addressing the issue of malnutrition in the province.
In this noble cause, Nutrition International (NI) in collaboration with BFA has fully equipped flour mills in Balochistan with the necessary equipment and technical training to start wheat flour fortification with micronutrients such as iron, zinc, and folic acid, and vitamin B12.
Director BFA congratulated the participants on the approval of the Balochistan Food Fortification Bill 2021 from the provincial assembly and said the act was much needed and is a huge milestone towards ensuring the production and supply of fortified foods to the people of Balochistan.
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NI plays an important role in capacity building of BFAs
He said Nutrition International is playing a vital role in the process and not only supporting millers but also Provincial Food Authorities in the shape of capacity-building training such as today’s session, and provision of testing equipment.
The event was also attended by Director General Food Department Zafarullah Goya and many Directors, Deputy Directors, and Food Safety Officers from Balochistan Food Authority and Food Department. The training was delivered by Provincial Program Manager of Nutrition International Qavi Khan Achakzai and Zonal Manager NI Syed Khalil Ahmed.
Micronutrient deficiency in Balochistan has reached an alarming level
While addressing the event, Director General Food Department Zafarullah Goya said that micronutrient deficiency in Balochistan has reached an alarming level and cost-effective interventions such as Food Fortification through which, the staple food is fortified with required micronutrients at the production level, are the need of time.
Program Manager Wheat Flour Fortification, Qavi Khan Achakzai said food fortification is cost-effective and results in massive returns. He added that wheat flour is an ideal vehicle for fortification purposes. While citing a government report, he added, that the government faces losses of over 7.6 billion US$ annually due to malnutrition.
More than 40 officials from Balochistan Food Authority and Food Department attended the training session and said that the training was very informative and provided a thorough learning experience regarding Fortification Processes and QAQC.
