Feasibility Study of Iron Fortification of Rice in Sub- Saharan Africa

In efforts to provide a growing population with a sufficient quantity of healthy and nutritious foods, fortification has risen as a solution. However, rice fortification has yet to take hold in much of the world, especially Africa. This report shares a desk review of the current health situation, rice production and distribution systems, and potential partners in ten countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Synthesizing preliminary health and food security data with literature on rice value chains, this study explores the obstacles to adoption of fortified rice. The review concludes that while these countries have highly fragmented rice value chains and limited technical capacity to process rice (fortified or otherwise) at a large, reliable scale, government procurement and distribution channels are recommended as the best method of distribution.