Global forum on food security and nutrition

Charita Jashi, Causus Development Group, Georgia

Fortification Bread is important for Georgian Family!

Association Agreement (DCFTA) between Georgia and EU fully comes into force since 1 July 2016. Implementation of this document will help Georgia to create an environment that will increase competitiveness, promote a stable growth of the economy. Ensuring a sufficient level of safe security and nutrition is identified as the one of the key strategic directions of this AA/ /(DCFTA) document. There are many factors which make barriers to empower national strategy on food security. Initiatives and activities have been provided from Government and civil society sides to increase health care access for low income women and children, who are at risk of developing nutrition related health problems.

One of the challenges under AA//(DCFTA) are the increasing reforms in food security and providing essential nutrition program for all citizens of the country. It is important to support agrarian organizations, farmers (including women farmers) and women NGOS in this field. Due to insufficient incomes Georgian family has a high poverty level. The survey provided by UNICEF in 2015 outlined the problems of malnutrition amongst of children, IDP`s and older population. According the report of the Georgian National nutrition Survey in 2009 (NNS) about half of a million population in Georgia are suffering from malnutrition.

It is known that the bread is the main food for Georgian citizens. Global food crisis and the growth of wheat prices have negative influenced on Georgia, because Georgia belongs to wheat importer (90%) countries. Georgian populations usually consume many bread, but gaining little nutrition benefits to return. Most of the population (women, children) do not aware the significant of flour fortification. Fortification bread increase price and all the cost be passed on to consumers? This question is very popular in the period of the upcoming election campaign, this issue is related as political populism. The issue of bread fortification is not free from controversy.

In 2006 the strategy of flour fortification began in Georgia. This program was financed by the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN). The problems arose in the society regarding bread fortification was issue of bread price increasing. The food experts highlighted that fortification gives big benefits to population and does not create risk to bread increasing price of bread. According the UNICEF investigation in 2013 the cost of flour fortification is estimated to be around 1-2 USD per ton.

That could mean around 1-2 tetri (currency Georgia) increase price per kilogram of flour. The law about fortification is under discussion in the Parliament. Georgia Parliament has not approved yet the law of flour fortification. Flour fortification is not mandatory yet in Georgia. But it should be noted that flour fortification has not facilitate price increasing, but it probably reduces infant death, less problem for pregnant and lower rates of birth defects in the country.

There is a lack of awareness of the population on food security and nutrition. This fact impedes implementation of strategy food safety standards that meet EU requirements. Nevertheless, experts agree that a key feature of fortification involves calculating the optimum amount of nutrient to be used. Local agriculture production takes a third and last place in Georgian food security. Nutrition is less considered within in food security policy. Food security must be ensured equally by all the stakeholders: producers, consumers, government and civil society.

Charita Jashi

Professor

Tbilisi State Univerity

Economic and Business Faculty

Head of Association Caucasus Development Group

Address: 19 kekelidze, Tbilisi, Georgia

Kendar Nath Rai, India

CONTRIBUTION POSTED ON FAO FACEBOOK  

Many complicated analyses have been done and can be done, and the results would be what we see today. It all boils down to three things:

1) There should be adequate amount of food available for the family: it is mostly not the case in the poor families

2) There should be diversity in diet using local crops and vegetables, and milk products, of course: there has been dangerous shifts to narrow diet base, and away from traditional nutritious food crops (which also applies to well-to-families), and

3) Unhygienic living conditions, including poor water and air quality. To make significant and acceptable level of progress all three have to be addressed simultaneously through various technological interventions, including education, all on campaign basis

Hira Iftikhar, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan (third contribution)

Effects of malnutrition in pregnant women

Hassam Ishtiaq*, Hira Iftikhar, Akhtar Ali, Tahir Ahmad and Umar Ali Amjad

*National Institute of Food Science and Technology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad.

Malnutrition is a major issue in developing and developed countries around the world due to under nutrition and overweight problems respectively. 39% of world population is facing the overweight problem and being obese during pregnancy can have a major impact on female and baby health. Being obese during pregnancy increases the risk of various complications for female including: Gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, overdue pregnancy, labour problems, pregnancy loss, etc. Complications may arise in newborns due to obese mother including: Macrosomia, chronic conditions and birth defects. Most of the world's population live in countries where overweight and obesity kills more people than underweight. Supportive environments and communities are fundamental in shaping people’s choices, thus forcing people to make the healthier choice of foods and regular physical exercise to control overweight problems. In Pakistan, especially in Thar, large numbers of deaths are reported every year due to malnutrition. Thar communities, particularly women, lack awareness of their health concerns. An underweight woman has a high risk of having a low birth weight infant, especially if she is not taking adequate diet during child bearing age as pregnancy requirement of micro and macro nutrients is higher. Malnutrition prior to conception prevents the placenta from developing completely. A poorly developed placenta cannot deliver optimum nourishment to the foetus, and the born infant will be small and with possible physical and cognitive abnormalities. Malnutrition, coupled with low birth weight, is a major factor in more than half of all deaths of children under four years of age worldwide. An underweight woman improves her chances of having a healthy baby by gaining sufficient weight prior to conception or by gaining extra pounds during pregnancy. To gain weight and ensure nutrient adequacy, an underweight woman can follow the dietary recommendations for pregnant women.