World Grain - September 2016 - 30

FEATURE: FIGHTING WIDESPREAD MALNUTRITION IN IRAQ

(WFF)," in order to improve the supply
of these vital micronutrients to the Iraqi
population. The choice fell explicitly
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WKH DYHUDJH SHU FDSLWD ÀRXU FRQVXPStion is over 220 grams daily. In Iraq,
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PRVWO\ E\ DUWLVDQ EDNHULHV XVLQJ WUDditional methods and a clay oven. It is
eaten at every meal.
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initiative agreed on 30 to 60 ppm iron
in the form of ferrous sulphate and 1.4
to 2.8 ppm folic acid. In order to relieve
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government agreed to pay the cost.
Implementation started in 2006.
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UNICEF, high-quality premixes containing iron and folic acid were supplied
to well over 100 mills in the country.
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micronutrients. In order to ensure their
correct use, several technicians were
instructed in the installation, operation
and maintenance of the feeders.

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And the government is well aware of
how important it is to supply the population with enough vitamins and minerals.
But the circumstances are so precarious
that the WFF program has practically
come to a halt."
Sarah Zimmermann, communications
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Initiative (FFI), comes to an equally soEHULQJFRQFOXVLRQ
STAGNATION AFTER A FAST START
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)RUWKH¿UVWIHZ\HDUVWKH:))LQL- since 2013," she said. "We assume that
tiative ran extremely well. According to RQHRIWKHEDVLFSUREOHPVLVJHWWLQJWKH
DVXUYH\E\WKH,UDTL1DWLRQDO5HVHDUFK micronutrients to the mills."
Institute, approximately 95% of the
country's mills were fortifying their INSUFFICIENT VITAMIN CONSUMPTION
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ning of 2013. In this way the millers statistics on the current position in rePDGH D YDOXDEOH FRQWULEXWLRQ WR LP- spect to the supply of micronutrients.
proving the state of health of the Iraqi But UNICEF and FFI are drawing attenpopulation.
tion to the fact that the Iraqi population
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had a direct effect on the WFF pro- also zinc, as well as iron and folic acid.
JUDP E\ WKH HQG RI IRUWL¿FDWLRQ Each of these micronutrients is responZDV RQO\ FDUULHG RXW E\ DERXW RI VLEOH IRU LPSRUWDQW IXQFWLRQV LQ KXPDQ
the mills. Since then, the percentage has PHWDEROLVP$PRQJRWKHUWKLQJVDGHfallen continuously.
¿FLHQF\ PD\ ZHDNHQ WKH LPPXQH V\VNazim Hamed, area sales manager, WHPGDPDJHYLVLRQLPSDLUWKHVWDELOLW\
Greater Middle East, with the premix RIERQHVRUUHVXOWLQGLVWXUEHGGHYHORSsupplier Mühlenchemie, is familiar with ment in children.
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A survey of the iron status of Iraqi
"The situation is unsatisfactory all women and children carried out a few
around," Hamed said. "The mills would years after the start of the WFF program
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Samoon bread is very popular in Iraq.

cation with micronutrients. Before the
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suffered from hypoferric anaemia; then
the percentage fell to less than 5%. In
children, the proportion fell from 26%
to 6.8% during the same period. The
MICS Study (Multiple Indicator Cluster
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and government authorities, came to a
similarly positive conclusion: the percentage of Iraqi children under the age
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²IURPDERXWWR²EHWZHHQ
2000 and 2011.
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FRXQWULHVÀRXUIRUWL¿FDWLRQKDVSURYHQ
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food of the general population.
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with vitamins and minerals is an imporWDQWVWHSWRZDUG¿JKWLQJPDOQXWULWLRQE\
VXSSRUWLQJWKHQDWLRQDOIRUWL¿FDWLRQSURgram in order to raise the state of health
of the Iraqi population again.
Lena Kampehl is in research and development for
Vitamin Premixes at Mühlenchemie. She may be
reached at lkampehl@muehlenchemie.com.
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