Abstract
Two billion people worldwide have micronutrient deficiencies. Food fortification is a proven intervention to increase essential micronutrient availability in diets without requiring consumer behavioral change. Fortification of rice has high potential reach; however, cost, technology, market, and cultural constraints have prevented its wider adoption. From 2010 to 2014, PATH and Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition implemented a pilot project in Brazil testing a model to scale up rice fortification through commercial channels. The project focused on 5 areas: (1) building fortified rice kernel production capacity; (2) supply chain development; (3) distribution channel and market development; (4) demand generation; and (5) advocacy and knowledge dissemination. Primary data were collected in 2 rounds of quantitative research 6 months apart and conducted in 2 regions in Brazil. Secondary data were sourced from published literature, socioeconomic and demographic data, and sales figures from the project's rice miller partner. Postmortem analysis was conducted by the project team with input from external sources. Although the project successfully launched a fortified rice product and a category brand platform, it was unsuccessful in reaching meaningful scale. Market and industry dynamics affected producers' willingness to launch new fortified products. Consumers' strong attachment to rice combined with a weak understanding of micronutrient malnutrition hampered demand creation efforts. This project showed that a purely commercial approach is insufficient for sustainable scale-up of fortified rice to achieve public health goals in a 3- to 5-year period.
Highlights
Micronutrient deficiencies, a shortage in the essential vitamins and minerals that affects more than 2 billion people worldwide, contribute to devastating health consequences including stunting, wasting, morbidity, mortality, and disability across populations.[1]
Fortified rice sales began in February 2013 and reached over 2.5 million consumers, an estimated 460 000 of which repeat consumers and the majority of which belonging to the bottom 3 of Brazil’s 5 socioeconomic classes, by April 2015
The Brazil rice fortification pilot project demonstrated the feasibility of introducing a fortified rice product on the market through a vertically integrated model in an operating context where awareness of rice fortification was low
Summary
Micronutrient deficiencies, a shortage in the essential vitamins and minerals that affects more than 2 billion people worldwide, contribute to devastating health consequences including stunting, wasting, morbidity, mortality, and disability across populations.[1]. Micronutrient fortification of staple foods and condiments is one of the most cost-effective strategies to combat micronutrient deficiencies.[3,4] It has the potential to reach across all population groups without requiring change in eating habits. For fortification to have an impact, fortified foods must be consumed in sufficient quantities by a high proportion of the population, including those with micronutrient deficiencies. The project focused on 5 areas: (1) building fortified rice kernel production capacity; (2) supply chain development; (3) distribution channel and market development; (4) demand generation; and (5) advocacy and knowledge dissemination. Results: the project successfully launched a fortified rice product and a category brand platform, it was unsuccessful in reaching meaningful scale. Conclusion: This project showed that a purely commercial approach is insufficient for sustainable scale-up of fortified rice to achieve public health goals in a 3- to 5-year period
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