Wheat and Cooking Oil / Ghee
Fortification in Pakistan
Amna Ejaz
International Food Policy Research Institute – Pakistan
Yangon, Myanmar | October 31, 2019

Pakistan’s History with Fortification
 1960s  National legislation mandating the fortification of oil/ghee with
vitamin A and D.
 1980s  Voluntarily salt iodization
 2003  National Plan of Action for the Control of Micronutrient
Deficiencies.
o 2003  National Fortification Alliance
 2005  National Wheat Flour Fortification Programme (NWFFP)
o 2007 - Voluntary wheat flour fortification with iron and folic acid.
o Discontinued in 2010

 2013  Re-notification of National Fortification Alliance (NFA) (after reconstitution
of federal Ministry of NHSR&C
o Provincial Fortification Alliances
o Members
o Objectives
42 42
27
67
58
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Vitamin-A Zinc Iron Vitamin-D Calcium
Micronutrient Deficiencies in WRA
(percentage of women)
Source: National Nutrition Survey 2011

Objectives of NFA
 To support the relevant multi-sectoral policy framework and develop /
put into action the legislative instruments
 To acts as a coordination body for partner supported projects, guiding
their development and implementation and ensuring cohesion with
national priorities.
 To provide technical leadership for guiding research and identifying
sustainable solutions.
 To strengthen the quality control and regulatory monitoring system at all
levels

Current Developments

Current Developments in Fortification
 Food Fortification Program (2016-2021):
o Support the government at federal, provincial, and district levels to
establish the necessary legislative and regulatory frameworks.
o Fortify wheat flour produced at commercial mills with iron and folic acid,
as well as edible oil/ghee with vitamins A and D;
o Technical assistance to wheat flour and edible oil/ghee industries.
o Communications campaigns to build consumer demand.

Achievements
 Wheat flour and edible oil and ghee now compulsory (or close to becoming
so) in three of the four provinces
 Provincial fortification standards currently developed and notified in line
with national standards and the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control
Authority (PSQCA)
 Quality assurance and quality control (QAQC) manuals and training have
been delivered to all stakeholders to maintain the vital levels of added
micronutrient
 Brought down the cost of importing microfeeders  by persuading federal
government to waive the 3% custom duty, 1% additional duty and 17%
sales tax that it charges.

Fortification Information System
https://www.fortis.pk

Fortification Information System
https://www.fortis.pk

Successes and
Challenges Ahead

Challenge: Fortification Standards
Fortification Assessment Coverage Toolkit (FACT) Survey -
2017
Source: Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition and Oxford Policy Management (2018). Fortification Assessment
Coverage Toolkit (FACT) Survey in Pakistan, 2017. Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition: Geneva, Switzerland.

Challenge: Small / Medium Scale ‘Chakki’ Mills
Source: Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition and Oxford Policy Management (2018). Fortification Assessment
Coverage Toolkit (FACT) Survey in Pakistan, 2017. Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition: Geneva, Switzerland.

Iodized Salt Coverage
Source: National Nutrition Survey 2019.

Next Steps
 Media campaigns
 Information dissemination
 Behavioral Change Communication

Thank You!