Generating demand for fortified foods

1. Generating demand for fortified foods Dr. Tausif Akhtar Janjua Technical Director Food Fortification Program, Pakistan

2. Presentation Outline • Why consumer awareness & demand generation is required • Examples of successful practices from Pakistan (USI, FFP) • Recommendations

3. Why consumer awareness is required • Consumers are not aware of fortified foods and their benefits • FFP Benefit Incidence Analysis FFP (2018) -a quarter of the respondents didn't know the concept of FF • GAIN FACT Survey Pakistan (2017) –around 10% of HH reported hearing about FF • GAIN Study in Tanzania (2016) -80% who bought FF had previous exposure to activities to promote FF • Address myths & rumors- explain benefits and prevent misinformation • Linked with family planning

4. Why Demand Generation • Increase availability and off take of the product at market • Contribute to enabling environment for fortification of staple foods • Production needs to follow standards, enforcement • For sustainability –engagement of private sector to invest on FF • Once donor funding is over • Maximizes the impact – create a ripple effect • Consumer awareness & demand generation are closely interlinked to supply side activities

5. Successful practices from Pakistan

6. Universal Salt Iodization (USI) 69% NNS 2011 17% NNS 2001

7. Pakistan Experience -USI Enabling Environment • Salt iodization made compulsory • District platforms activated Awareness raising • Health education through community based LHW, medical & paramedical staff • Messages through private sector medical practitioners • Awareness session for school teachers and religious leaders Targeted market campaigns to increase market availability through public sector staff -Sanitary Inspectors

8. Pakistan Experience -USI Innovations • Revision of communication strategy and messages • Shifted focus from goiter to increased physical and cognitive development • Linked campaign with increased IQ and school performance • Inclusion of messages in the curricula of LHW and School Health and Nutrition Supervisors –public sector staff in Punjab province • Annual Best Salt Processor Awards –coverage in media • Stakeholders coordination

9. Pakistan Experience -USI Shifted focus of campaign from disease prevention to brain development and learning outcomes for children

11. Food Fortification Programme (FFP) -Overview • 5 year programme UKaid funded; Feb 2016 – January 2021 • 2 Food Commodities targeted (Wheat Flour & Edible Oil/Ghee) • >1000 Flour Mills • >100 Oil Mills • Nationwide Coverage - Gradual Expansion to all Provinces/regions • Start with high production Provinces/Districts • Key Components • Creating enabling environments -government ownership and support • Support to Wheat Flour & Edible oil/ghee industries -sustainability • Public advocacy, media and communications -demand generation • Targeted studies and research regarding food fortification -generate evidence

12. Pakistan Experience –FFP • Multiple communication channels; TV, cable networks, mobile phone messages, health education on benefits of consuming FF • Reach multiple influencers; distributors, consumers, religious leaders, school children-to take messages back home • Multiple platforms; engaged consumers rights and traders associations, Chambers of Commerce & Industry, PVMA/PFMA • Engaged SUN Movement • SUN CSA -to increase consumer awareness • SUN BN -to ensure sustainability • Community level outreach interventions • Through primary health center staff • Through existing nutrition and MCH programmes, LHWs/LHS • Point of sales campaigns to increase availability & visibility of fortified wheat flour and edible oil/ghee • Super Stores • Utility Stores Corporation, network of approx. 6,000 stores primarily for poor HH

13. Pakistan Experience -FFP Launched Fortifying Pakistan’s Future campaign – to increase consumers awareness -activities include; • Distribution of Information, Education and Communication materials such as brochures, flyers, posters • Public service messages on cable television networks –for a limited period • Mobile Messaging Campaign targeting WRA, PLW, LHWs and LHS • Production of television commercials with different messages on benefits of consuming fortifying wheat flour and edible oil/ghee

14. Logos for wheat flour & edible oil fortification for product identification Logo for Fortified Wheat Flour Logo for Fortified Edible Oil/Ghee Wheat flour sacks

15. Pakistan Experience Knowledge & HH use of Iodized Salt –Pakistan NNS-2011

16. Pakistan Experience Improved supply and demand directly supports sustainability

17. Recommendations • Consumer demand generation not enough on its own –rather part of the strategy • As enabling environment and availability improve –its importance decreases • Need for a well designed strategy to ensure; • Enabling environment • Motivate food industries to participate in production, distribution and marketing of the products • Awareness –multiple communication channels and delivery platforms • Reach multiple influencers –to promote consumption of FF; distributors, consumers, religious leaders, school children-to take messages back home • Logo is a powerful tool; • Government in authenticity • Industry in marketing • Consumers in identifying FF products • Link messages with development in addition to disease prevention • %age of GDP lost etc..

18. Thank You