Trade CAS David Osiany, Family Health head Dr. Issak Bashir, Health CAS Dr. Rashid Aman and Nutrition and Dietetics head Veronica Kirigo.

“We are not where we used to be, but we have not reached where we want to be.” This was the rallying call of the stakeholders during the second Kenya National Food fortification summit held between June 29-30.

The summit running under the theme: “Creating an Enabling Environment for Food Fortification in Kenya” assessed the progress made compared to challenges that were highlighted during the 2018 summit.

The summit organised by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the European Union, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) and Nutrition International attracted participants from the government, academia, development partners, premix suppliers, consumer organisations, civil society and the private sector.

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As the stakeholders took stock of the milestones made since the first summit in 2018, the summit established a number of key achievements through the Kenya National Food Fortification Alliance.

These gains included; successful implementation of Universal Salt Iodization Programme with over 99 per cent of households using adequately iodized salt; reduction of goitre prevalence to less than six per cent development and implementation of fortification guidelines and regulatory framework; registration of premix suppliers and establishment of food fortification database.

Health CAS Rashid Aman said food fortification is a proven, safe and cost-effective strategy for improving diets and the prevention and control of micronutrient deficiencies.

“We need to support food fortification strategy in the country due to its nutritional sustainability and its potential to reach wider population coverage without changes in existing dietary patterns,” said, Dr. Aman who represented Health CS Mutahi Kagwe.



Dr Aman said as much as there has been good progress in the food fortification initiatives, more needs to be done, adding that concerted efforts are needed to eliminate micronutrient deficiencies for sustainable development.

In keeping with the theme of the summit, Dr Aman said the resolutions will be vital in securing a fortification commitment at the United Nation Food System Summit (FSS) and the Nutrition Growth Summit (N4G) to be held in September and December this year respectively.

While lauding the European Union for support towards “Strengthening the Kenya National Food Fortification Programme,” JKUAT-EU Funded Food Fortification project coordinator Prof Daniel Sila said JKUAT in collaboration with the Health ministry and other partners has implemented the programme since 2017.

“Through the programme, we have established a database on food fortification that will be instrumental in informing policy and implementation,” said Prof Sila.

He also said the programme has built the capacity of 156 maize millers and 270 public health officers across the country strengthening the regulatory efforts of food fortification.



Prof Sila further informed the participants that the programme has established a food fortification reference laboratory at JKUAT to improve local capacity to monitor compliance of different fortified food products to the national standards.

The programme is funded at Sh350 million by the European Union to strengthen Kenya’s efforts to fortify staple food and improve the health and nutritional status of the poor and vulnerable.

A panel discussion during the summit established that ending hunger and malnutrition in all its forms is about more than securing enough food to survive. Despite the effort made in the country, malnutrition has remained a significant public health challenge causing stunting and wasting in children and overweight and obesity, especially among pregnant women.

The panel discussion moderated by Prof Sila underscored the importance of concerted effort and multi-sectoral approaches to tackle the burden of malnutrition and increase food fortification efforts for a nourished country.

The panel stressed the importance of food fortification capacity building for Public Health Officers, millers and county officials adding that food fortification dialogue should trickle down to the counties with actionable implementation strategies to end malnutrition in the country.

The summit was also addressed by Principal Secretary, State Department for Agricultural Research, Prof. Hamadi Boga, Chief Administrative Secretary, Ministry of Industrialization, Trade & Enterprise Development, David Osiany representing their respective Cabinet Secretaries among other development partners and stakeholders.