Projects

• improve the capacity of salt industries in Central Asia and Mongolia to produce quality iodized salt, thus helping to eliminate iodine deficiency disorders in the region
• provide an opportunity to the regional salt producers to present their products, knowledge, and services
• establish networks between salt producers and suppliers of potassium iodate and equipment.

The international conference brought to a close the Asian Development Bank's (ADB) first regional project designed to reverse the alarming increase in mentally and cognitively impaired children in the six participating countries, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

The project, which was implemented in cooperation with the Kazakhstan Academy of Nutrition and UNICEF, promoted the production, distribution and sale of salt fortified with iodine and flour fortified with an iron-based premix. The project also included a wide public awareness component that informed the public in each country on the importance of consuming sufficient quantities of iodine and iron micronutrients.

The participating countries have made strong progress in increasing the availability of fortified salt and flour. Importantly, significant progress has also been made in the passage of new legislation on salt iodization, which will ensure these improvements are not reversed.

"This successful project has laid a solid foundation for further efforts in this critical area of mother and child health," said M.E. Tusneem, Director General of ADB's East and Central Asia Department.

Salt producers of Central Asia shared their experiences in issues of salt production and quality iodization technology, sources of raw materials, equipment, labeling, quality control, domestic sales, intention for export/import. They discussed main challenges and problems of quality iodized salt production in Central Asia, perspectives for the governments and international agencies; commitment of salt producers and shaping of national IDD prevention programs.

The meeting was also attended by ADB and UNICEF representatives, China Salt Export and Import Company, Lonestar Corporation (UK) and suppliers from India, and representative of European Salt Association.

The primary objective of the conference was to share the results of the nutrition survey in Tajikistan conducted in August-September 2003. The survey was jointly financed by JFPR 9005, UNICEF, the National Institute for Research on Food and Nutrition, Italy (INRAN), and WHO as a response to MOH's persistent request for support.

Technical expertise was mainly provided by INRAN and the Kazakh Academy of Nutrition.

The conference was attended by key stakeholders of Tajikistan including the Government, local governments, local and international NGOs, and development agencies. Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic and Uzbekistan also sent delegations comprising the country project coordinators of JFPR9005, representatives of nutrition research institutes and their respective ministries of health.

ADB and UNICEF CARK conducted this seminar.

Participants from Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan took part in discussion on the concept of GAIN initiative and the format of proposal to be submitted for GAIN Board. JFPR/ADB and UNICEF representatives assisted country teams in consideration of the proposals for GAIN funding.

The workshop focused on project implementation in the 18 months at country level (October 2001 - March 2003), presented lessons learned and discussed a number of practical issues related to implementation of the different project components.

These were reviewed as well to establish a set of recommendations for program improvement. The issues of project auditing and improving of financial performance were discussed at parallel sessions.

This workshop drew upon expert opinion from wheat flour millers and nutrition community on the issues of wheat flour fortification and its piloting implementation at the demonstration mills, and recommends activities in production, packaging and labeling, wholesale and retail monitoring, standards and enforcement, laboratory analysis, and policy development.

During the workshop selected experts shared their experiences in various aspects of wheat flour fortification, such as production, establishment of national standards, quality assurance and control, and agency support for national efforts.

• assist CPOs to improve their work plans for project implementation
• discuss major procurement, disbursement and consulting procedures.

• provide country teams with additional orientation on a framework and basic strategic components needed for effective communication activities in support of the project goals
• assist country teams to improve their plans for communication activities.

The conference was hosted by ADB, United Nations Children's Fund and Kazakh Academy of Nutrition, and supported by Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction.

The meeting brought together representatives from all Central Asian countries, including public health services, private sector (federations of flour millers and bakers and salt producers), non-governmental organizations that focus on women and children, representatives of external assistance agencies and senior government and local officials.

The main objective of the Roundtable was to seek policy commitment and agreement on the essential requirements for fortifying salt and flour, upgrading regulatory and trade policies, enriching food for the poor, conducting population surveillance and food quality monitoring. Representatives of the Government of Japan, Government of Kazakhstan (hosting country), ADB, UNICEF and KAN addressed the participants.