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Landmark Regional Accord Offers Fresh Hope For Central Asia's Children

Almaty Forum 2001 a health event of major significance

ADB's William Fraser (far right) at signing ceremony with some of the Central Asian delegations at the Almaty Forum 2001 on 12 October to launch regional initiative to improve nutrition for poor mothers and children.

ALMATY, KAZAKHSTAN (12 October 2001) - Central Asian countries and Mongolia signed landmark agreements with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) today to boost production, distribution and consumption of iodized salt and iron-enriched wheat flour in the region.

The Almaty Forum 2001 to Improve Nutrition for Poor Mothers and Children agreed on a regional framework to promote the enrichment of salt and wheat flour with vital micronutrients essential for children to develop normally. In addition, participating countries also agreed on country investment plans (CIPs) with low-cost schemes to address their own priority nutrition needs.

The decline in consumption of such nutrients as iodine and iron in the decade since independence from the former Soviet Union has led to an alarming rise in mentally retarded and physically stunted children in the region.

The Almaty Forum 2001 was attended by representatives of the public and private sectors and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) - from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Agreement was reached to raise consumption of iodized salt to 66 percent from 26 percent of households by end 2002. Similarly, it aims to raise consumption of fortified wheat flour to 33 percent from current levels of near zero.

The regional project, cosponsored by ADB, UNICEF and the Kazakh Academy of Nutrition, is initially financed by a US$6 million grant from ADB's Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction, funded by the Government of Japan.

"The regional framework will facilitate the movement of fortified salt and wheat flour into, and between, the countries by creating a more favorable legal and trade environment. It is also a significant step towards building new partnerships not only between the countries but between the public and private sectors and NGOs to solve a common problem," said William Fraser, ADB's Manager of Education, Health and Population (East) Division.

"This agreement brings new partners to an area that is one of our key priorities and will help participating countries towards fulfilling commitments under the Convention on the Rights of the Child. It will also ensure that every child in Central Asia can fulfill his or her fullest development potential," said Philippe Heffinck, Almaty-based Area Representative for UNICEF.

"This initiative has a level of seriousness and commitment I have not seen before. We must make this work or our children will not have a viable future," said Turgeldy Sharmanov, President of the Kazakh Academy of Nutrition.

"This is a health event of major significance that will enable Central Asia to fully participate in an increasingly globalized economy because children's capacity to learn and earn will be dramatically increased," said Joseph Hunt, ADB's senior health and nutrition economist who is coordinating the regional program.

Governments signed country investment plans and each country delegation, which represents all the stakeholders - the public and private sectors, civil society and NGOs - has agreed to:

• Target areas for assistance - provinces with 50 percent prevalence of iodine deficiency in mothers and young children, or a goiter rate of 20 percent among school children; and sub-regions where 40 percent of pregnant women and infants suffer from iron deficiency anemia.
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• Identify private sector food companies to help meet the project goals in a sustainable manner. These companies will contribute towards costs as well as receive assistance during the two-year program.
• Establish standards set by the Kazakh Academy of Nutrition for flour fortification.
• Establish and enforce regulations for fortified food production and marketing.
• Reform trade and customs rules to facilitate the movement of fortified food across administrative and national borders.
• Pass universal salt iodization legislation by end-2002 and consider similar laws for flour fortification.
• Monitor prices of fortified foods to avoid over-pricing, especially for poor.
• Promote social marketing and communication strategies through NGOs - such as women's federations and consumer groups - to ensure mothers can make informed choices for their children.

Another Forum is planned for end-2002 to carry forward and sustain the regional partnership initiated in Almaty.

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