Deficiencies in essential vitamins and minerals (micronutrients) cause devastating damage, particularly for children and women of reproductive age, resulting in increased risks of death, disabilities, more severe and longer-lasting illness, and compromised cognitive and physical development and performance and productivity of people and countries.
Globally 1.2 billion women of reproductive age and 372 million children under five years of age suffer from deficiency in at least one essential micronutrient. As food systems are increasingly stressed by shocks from conflicts and the climate crisis and consumers are hit with increased food prices, it is ever more difficult for vulnerable households to access nutritious foods.