Experts and stakeholders in food and agricultural sector have reiterated the need to draft policy document for rice Fortification in Nigeria, adding that, this would drive the adoption of inclusive strategy to recognise the market structure of the industry.
This is even as TechnoServe, a non-profit organisation, is set to launch its Technical Assistance Acceleration Programme (TAAP), aimed at increasing the diversity of fortified foods availability in Nigeria.
The TAAP initiative, experts said, would ensure that Nigerians have access to nutrition at a time surging food prices are affecting consumption patterns adding that, the focus would include rice in its fortification drive under the previous Strengthening Africa Processors of Fortified Foods (SAPFF).
The experts, who spoke at a mobilisation workshop for TAAP, said the country’s rice industry is similar to its edible oil industry as the value chains in both industries are highly fragmented.
They urged the country to consider the market structure by looking at lessons in the edible oil sector fortification drive in the previous SAPFF project in drafting the policy document for rice fortification.
Speaking on the TAAP Launch, Country Project manager, Ayodele Tella, stated that, “we need to consider the market structure and look at what worked in the oil sector in drafting the policy document for rice fortification.”