Biofortification (also known as nutrient enrichment) of staple crops, is a cost-effective and sustainable agricultural technology that enhances the quantity, bioavailability and bioaccessibility of micronutrients, with the aim of reducing micronutrient deficiencies. From 2019-2022, GAIN and HarvestPlus coordinated the Commercialisation of Biofortified Crops (CBC) Programme, which sought to scale up the production and consumption of biofortified foods (i.e., wheat, maize, cassava, rice, pearl millet, and beans) through commercial pathways in six countries in Africa and Asia. The programme used a variety of strategic scaling pathways to ensure commercialisation (e.g., increased production and availability of surplus for sale in markets), where aggregation was a key step. The objectives of this paper are to: (1) document the types of aggregation models employed by the CBC programme and their challenges, and (2) make recommendations for improving biofortified crop value chains to better achieve commercialisation. The insights in this paper are based on a desk review of CBC programme documents and semi-structured interviews with programme implementers.
The NFCMS 2021 provides valuable insights and highlights the need for strategic investments in agriculture, nutrition, and food systems. While progress has been made, there is a clear imperative for improved implementation and expanded coverage of nutrition interventions across diverse population groups.
To ensure the success of LSFF, governments can establish and strengthen national mandatory fortification standards as well as regulatory frameworks that ensure access to high-quality fortified foods across the entire population. Strong regulations also help ensure a level playing field for fortified food producers where all are held to the same standard.
Buguruni market is a traditional food market in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania with about 2,630 vendors selling their produce to about 70,000 consumers daily. In a rapid assessment conducted in 2020, almost a third of consumers reported concerns related to food safety when shopping in the market.
GAIN, along with the Kenya Tea Development Agency Foundation (KTDA Foundation) coordinated and implemented a training package for the vegetable kiosk vendors within the community. It was targeted at food vendors and small traders around tea factories and other stakeholders around their business sites.
To scale up the production and consumption of biofortified foods through commercialisation, GAIN and
HarvestPlus partnered in 2019 to implement the Commercialisation of Biofortified Crops (CBC)
Programme
EatSafe: Evidence and Action Towards Safe, Nutritious Food (EatSafe) is a USAID Feed
the Future programme that works in traditional markets in Nigeria and Ethiopia to
improve food safety.