Consultancy, Development of the National Food Fortification Strategy. Tender, Namibia - 30864441

Procurement Summary

Country : Namibia

Summary : Consultancy, Development of the National Food Fortification Strategy.

Deadline : 01 Mar 2019

Other Information

Notice Type : Tender

TOT Ref.No.: 30864441

Document Ref. No. :

Competition : ICB

Financier : United Nations Secretariat

Purchaser Ownership : -

Tender Value : Refer Document

Purchaser's Detail

Purchaser : UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN'S FUND
UN House UNICEF, 1st Floor 38-44 Stein Street Klein Windhoek Windhoek Tel; 204.6111 Fax: 204.6206
Namibia
Email :nmbregistry@unicef.org
URL :http://www.unicef.org/

Tender Details

Tenders are invited for Consultancy, Development of the National Food Fortification Strategy in Namibia, Windhoek, Namibia (for Internationals only).

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, dedication

How can you make a difference?

1.0 Background and Justification

Micronutrient malnutrition is a significant challenge to Namibia's efforts to sustainable social and economic development. It's responsible for impaired brain development causing mental retardation in children[1], poor pregnancy outcomes, reduced productivity, academic performance and earning capacity as adults. The most common forms of micronutrient deficiencies include; vitamin A deficiency, iron deficiency anemia, iodine deficiency disorders and zinc deficiency. Iodine deficiency in utero and childhood can result in the loss of up to 13.5 IQ points that affects learning ability and overall academic performance[2]. Children born to mothers with deficiencies' in iodine, iron, folic acid and vitamin A are likely to be small at birth, and at much greater risk of permanent physical or mental disability and death. Anaemia and iron deficiency reduce individuals well-being, cause fatique and lethargy, and impair physical capacity and work performance[3]. Maternal anaemia is associated with mortality and morbidity in the mothers and baby, including risks of miscarriages, stillbirths, prematurity and low birth weight[4].

The Namibia Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), 2013 indicates that 24% of children under-five years are stunted and 6% are wasted. Forty eight percent (48%) of children 6-59 months are anaemic with prevalence increasing with the age of the children signifying the poor feeding and hygiene practices characteristic of this age group. In fact, NDHS, 2013 shows that only 31% and 13% of children 6-23 months received the minimum dietary diversity and minimum acceptable diets. This coupled with poor sanitation-70% of households in rural areas practicing open defecation puts children at greater risk of worm infestation and diarrhoeal diseases[5]. Among pregnant mothers, NDHS shows that 26% are anaemic and prevalence rate is higher in rural than urban areas[6]. Moreover, only 39 percent of pregnant women were reported to have taken iron tablets as per WHO recommendations. Only 7 percent of pregnant women took deworming tablets and 76 percent slept in households that consumed iodised salt.

The World Health Organisation has recommended several interventions to fight micronutrient malnutrition in the population and notable of these is food fortification. Food fortification has proved an effective strategy to fight micronutrient deficiencies in the populations where existing food supplies and limited access fail to provide adequate levels of the micronutrients in the diet[7]. The strategy results in rapid improvements in the micronutrient status of a target population and at very reasonable cost. However, an obvious requirement is that the fortified foods need to be consumed in adequate amounts by a large proportion of the target individuals in a population. It is also necessary to have access to, and to use, fortificants that are well absorbed yet do not affect the sensory properties of foods. In most cases, it is preferable to use food vehicles that are centrally processed, and to have the support of the food industry[8].

In Namibia, several foods are voluntarily fortified with various micronutrients, however, there is no regulatory framework to guide the food industries and small millers on the food fortification technology. Currently over 80% of commercially milled maize meal and 100% of wheat flour in Namibia are fortified with essential micronutrients based on the South Africa standards for levels of micronutrients in these food vehicles. Namib mill is the biggest milling industry in Namibia and covers an estimated 80% share of industrially processed commercial cereal flour and reaching an estimated 40% of Namibians with voluntary fortified maize meal and wheat flour. Overall only an estimated 40% of the cereal flour consumed in Namibia is commercially milled or industrially processed by large to medium scale milling industries[9]. The milling companies do not undertake any quality control analysis on fortified products and there is currently no government institution undertaking quality control analysis on fortified foods in Namibia. Namib mills currently supplies most of the fortified maize meal for the government funded school feeding programs in Namibia.

The Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) is the mandated institution controlling the quality and safety of foods in Namibia. The country is in the process of ratifying a food safety bill and establishing food safety control systems for its implementation. There is also a need to put in place an effective food fortification strategy and regulatory framework coupled with quality control systems to guide the food industries on micronutrient standards and safety measures to control micronutrient malnutrition.

2.0 Justification

Micronutrient deficiencies are major impediment to socio-economic development and contributes to a vicious cycle of malnutrition and underdevelopment in Namibia. It has long-term effects on health, learning ability and productivity. Micronutrient malnutrition leads to high social and public costs, reduced work capacity in the populations due to high rates of illness, disability and mortality. Malnutrition is driven by several factors, including food insecurity, poor intake of micronutrients, inappropriate infant and young child feeding practices, limited access to health care and changes in people lifestyles due to the rural-urban migration. Namibia is also experiencing the impact of climate change with increased frequency and severity of droughts and floods which have affected food security at household level. This exacerbates the rates of malnutrition and reduces the resilience of households to these shocks.

To achieve progress in the prevention and reduction of maternal and child malnutrition, Namibia must scale up proven cost-effective nutrition interventions to prevent micronutrient deficiencies, stunting and wasting. Food fortification for instance, has been proved to be effective and cost-effective strategy in addressing micronutrient malnutrition in high risk population due to its ability to allow for high population coverage and use of food vehicles easily accessed by the vulnerable groups. Food fortification in Namibia is still voluntary and there is no regulatory framework to guide the food industry on the standards. Under the Namibia Alliance for Improved Nutrition (NAFIN), a food fortification technical working group was established to oversee food fortification initiatives and enforce compliance to standards. This technical working group headed by the National Agronomic Board mandates millers-small and large-to fortify floor as a condition to obtain/maintain milling license.

Currently over 80% of commercially milled maize meal and 100% of wheat flour in Namibia are fortified with essential micronutrients based on the South Africa standards for levels of micronutrients in these food vehicles. Overall only an estimated 40% of the cereal flour consumed in Namibia is commercially milled or industrially processed by large to medium scale milling industries. The companies do not undertake any quality control analysis on fortified products and there is currently no government institution undertaking quality control analysis on fortified foods in Namibia.

The Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) plans to develop a National Food Fortification Strategy intended to deliver on national nutrition goals, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The development of the food fortification strategy will be undertaken as a sector-wide process led by MoHSS and in collaboration with key stakeholders in food fortification. The development of the fortification strategy will be informed by the findings of the food fortification feasibility assessment that will be conducted prior to the formulation of the strategy. The food fortification strategy will help to guide the food industry and provide direction for developing fortification standards and guidelines for Namibia.

3.0 Scope of Work

3.1 Goal and objectives

Under the supervision of the Chief Child Survival and Development the consultant will support the Government of the Republic of Namibia (GRN) to conduct first, a food fortification feasibility assessment and then develop the national food fortification strategy that will guide the stakeholders in the food fortification industry.

The specific objectives of the assignment are;

1.1 Conduct a food fortification feasibility assessment to inform the development of the strategy

1.2 To develop the National Food Fortification Strategy to support fortification of foods with micronutrients

1.3 Conduct desk review and stakeholder consultations on food fortification

1.4 Conduct validation workshop on the feasibility assessment report and draft National food fortification strategy

3.2 Description of the assignment

The assignment will involve working closely with MoHSS, Ministry of Agriculture Water and Forestry (MAWF), Ministry of Industrialisation, Trade and SME Development (MoITSD) and UNICEF. The overall supervision will be provided by the Chief CSD at UNICEF supported by the Nutrition Specialist and the Program Officer at the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS). The consultant will;

§ Conduct a food fortification feasibility assessment that will

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