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WFP seeking to expand Asia's use of

nutrient-rich rice
Vitamins and minerals are being added to Asia's main staple, rice, to help those suffering
from chronic nutrient deficiencies in the region's developing nations. The latest
technologies are now set to boost production.

More than two billion people worldwide are living with the consequences of micronutrient deficiencies,
increasing the risk of illness and premature death. The majority of the people reside in developing
economies in Asia. New ways are now being developed to deliver extra vitamins and minerals to these
people by adding nutrients to their main staple: rice.
A recent meeting in Bangkok, Thailand, brought together regional experts and nutritionists to look at
opportunities to expand the production and distribution of the nutrient-rich grain, called fortified rice.
The conference is co-organized by the Food Fortification Initiative (FFI), the Global Alliance for
Improved Nutrition (GAIN), the Micronutrient Initiative (MI), PATH, the United Nations Childrens
Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Programme (WFP).
In a DW interview, senior regional nutrition advisor with the WFP's Regional Bureau for Asia, Katrien
Ghoos says that the new technologies for adding vitamins and minerals to rice make it easier to be
produced and provided to more people.
DW: What is rice fortification?
Katrien Ghoos: There is a technology in the United States called "dusting" where a powder mix of the
vitamins and minerals are put on the rice. But this technology is ineffective in many Asian and African
countries as rice is washed and soaked before being cooked.

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Now new technologies exist that make it possible and easier to retain micronutrients in the fortified
rice: coating and extrusion. For coating they put all the vitamins and minerals around the kernel with
a specific kind of glue to make sure it stays on the kernel. For extrusion they mix rice flour and the
fortificant mix together, add water to it and push it through an extrusion machine to make kernels
that look exactly like regular rice kernels. Both are then mixed with non-fortified rice.
D W

R E C O M M E N D In
S reality you can put any type of vitamin and mineral to the rice.

WFP: 'Hunger easing in

Asia, but more must be
done'
Despite a drop in the number of
hungry people, Asia is home to 526
million people without enough to
eat, a new report finds. This is why
ending hunger must be at the
center of the political agenda, Zoie
Jones tells DW. (17.09.2014)

UN Report: global
underfed population drops
100 million in a decade
Dietary supplements could
beat the world's 'hidden
hunger' says report
FAO says bumper crops
bring down food prices, but
demand rising in Asia

We're not only talking about vitamins, but also iron, folic acid and
so on. What exactly is added to the rice really depends on the
country and its needs.
For instance, vitamin Bs such as B12 and B6, Niacin and Thiamin
are added because they were initially present in the rice but
washed away through polishing.
How open have people been to eating fortified rice?
If you want people to eat fortified rice, then it should look exactly
like normal rice, so that people won't see the difference. In many
countries, people take out the dirty or the colored kernels because
they think they're not clean, and they like to have white rice.
The fortified rice doesn't look different at all; in fact in some
countries such as Bangladesh there is very good acceptability of
this kind of rice, and to some extent people even prefer it because
it has a slightly sweet smell. You can't distinguish it when it is
either cooked or uncooked.
How is the rice produced?
With these kinds of technologies the mixing of the rice needs to
happen under controlled circumstances so a specific machine is
needed to blend it and mix it. Although in theory it is possible to
produce the rice at a local level, there are practical problems
associated with quality control and production amounts, among

others.
If you are aware of the supply chain flow of rice in your country - information on what is imported,
where the big consumption and production areas are - then, it is at these points, like mills or
warehouses, where the rice is blended. In this way, fortified rice is produced.
How successful has the programme been so far?
I think, on a small scale, we have been very successful. At a larger scale, for instance, Bangladesh is
one place where they're now taking it to the next level and working on integrating the distribution of
fortified rice into social safety nets targeted to the poorest, who need it most. We're talking about
millions of people that can be reached.
A lot of countries got involved in evidence gathering and trials, for example Cambodia and
Bangladesh. We have a lot of government support in countries such as Indonesia. They all face the
same challenges involving the supply chain and public's acceptance. We know the poor and the
vulnerable are most in need of this rice, the challenge is how we reach these groups.
What effect has the nutrient-rich rice had on
these countries?
With programs on a large scale, it is too early to know for sure. But maybe in a couple of years we will
be able to answer that. Trials indicate that people will improve their nutritional status resulting in
better learning outcomes for schoolchildren, and as a consequence better revenue once the child grows
up and is working.

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However, rice fortification is not the only intervention needed to reduce micronutrient deficiencies.
People with very high needs such as young
children and pregnant women need additional
specific interventions. But fortified rice will
benefit the entire population and needs to be
seen as complementary to other interventions.
Is there a price difference between fortified and
non-fortified rice?
Ghoos: 'We know the poor and the vulnerable are most
in need of this rice'

That's a complicated question. There is of course

a price difference between fortified and nonfortified rice. The price difference is related to the supply chain, and how you are able to procure the
fortified kernels, how you are able to blend them into the non-fortified rice, among others. If you can
do it in a way where there are cost savings such as energy saving measures, the final price will be less.
The cost comes from processing and producing the fortified kernels because you need two ingredients:
fortificant mix and rice.
It is estimated that there is a price difference of seven to eight percent, but these are estimates of trials
at small scale. Once you establish large supply chains, price increases will be as little as one percent. Of
course we're talking about a staple food and there is a limited margin on selling staples. Moreover,
consumers in developing countries can't afford them. Using the social safety nets can be a way to
bring fortified rice to these most in need populations.
Katrien Ghoos is the senior regional nutrition advisor with the World Food Programme's Regional
Bureau for Asia.

Date 19.09.2014
Author Interview: Andrea Nierhoff
Related Subjects Asia
Keywords Asia, fortified rice, World Food Programme, nutrients, vitamins, minerals
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R E L A T E D

C O N T E N T

Dietary supplements could Opinion: Politicians should

beat the world's 'hidden
redouble efforts to end
hunger' says report 23.07.2014 hunger 14.10.2014

Climate change to 'severely

impact' growth in South
Asia 20.08.2014

Health experts often call it the

"hidden hunger." Malnutrition, a
dietary lack of vitamins and
minerals, afflicts nearly two billion
people worldwide. It can lead to
serious diseases, but there might be
a way out.

As more extreme weather hits

South Asia, the effects of climate
change are taking a toll on the
economy, with the region at risk of
losing up to 8.8 percent of their
GDP by 2100, analyst Mahfuz
Ahmed tells DW.

In order to tackle the problem of

undernourishment affecting two
billion people globally, politicians
must do more than just focus on
national interests, says DW's
Grahame Lucas.

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