Food fortification has long been championed as a solution to malnutrition, but how far can it really take us? In this spotlight conversation, Catherine Odhiambo speaks with Geremew Tassew, a technical expert in food and nutrition, about the opportunities and blind spots in fortification strategies, particularly across Africa.
1. Food fortification is widely promoted as a solution for malnutrition. But what are its limitations or unintended consequences that policymakers often overlook?
Fortification is indeed a scalable solution, but it’s not without challenges. In Ethiopia, for example, the heavy reliance on imported premixes makes sustainability difficult, especially with foreign exchange constraints. There are also risks of overlapping interventions; multiple programmes targeting the same communities can sometimes lead to excess micronutrient intake.
Another issue is infrastructure. Many countries lack affordable, simple testing methods or well-equipped laboratories to monitor fortified foods. This creates gaps in enforcement and trust. Finally, the added cost of fortified foods can burden consumers and, in some contexts, even trigger political tensions.
2. Many fortification programs focus on staple foods. Could this approach risk reinforcing dependence on narrow diets instead of promoting dietary diversity?
That’s an important question. My view is that fortification should complement dietary diversity, not replace it. The reality is that many households still face barriers to accessing a variety of nutritious foods. Even where diets are diverse, micronutrients may still be lacking due to soil degradation or gaps in nutrition knowledge.
So, fortification helps fill these critical nutrient gaps. It is not a silver bullet, but rather a bridge toward healthier diets.
3. How can we ensure that fortification programmes truly reach the most vulnerable populations in rural or informal sectors who may not access industrially processed foods?
In Ethiopia, staple foods such as wheat flour, iodized salt, and edible oil are considered strategic vehicles for fortification due to their widespread consumption across both urban and rural communities. According to a national study by the Ethiopian Public Health Institute, the household-level coverage of fortifiable products is approximately 90% for edible oil, 30% for wheat flour, and 98% for iodized salt.
To strengthen this reach, the government made the fortification of wheat flour and edible oil compulsory in June 2022, and implementation is actively progressing at the food processing level.
But vulnerable groups need more targeted interventions. Household-level fortification and supplementation can be effective in contexts like drought or displacement. In the past, the elimination of goiter through iodized salt has been one of Ethiopia’s greatest public health success stories. It shows that when fortification is designed for accessibility, it can reach the people who need it most.
4. What innovative fortification models or partnerships have succeeded elsewhere that Ethiopia or Africa isn’t exploring yet?
Nigeria and Kenya are good examples, they have invested in innovative monitoring systems to track fortification more effectively. Ethiopia is beginning to experiment with multiple fortification too, such as adding folic acid to iodized salt.
These innovations show that the field is moving toward integrated, smarter approaches — and Ethiopia has opportunities to learn from these experiences.
TechPalate Insights:
Globally, fortification partnerships are proving that scale and sustainability come from innovative models:
- Latin America’s Mandatory Models: Several African countries, including Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa, already mandate fortification of flour, oil, and salt. The difference lies in enforcement and monitoring, where lessons from Latin America’s success could help close Africa’s implementation gap.
In Costa Rica and Guatemala, legislation made flour and salt fortification universal, helping to virtually eliminate neural tube defects caused by folate deficiency. The lesson? Consistency and strong enforcement can turn fortification from a patchy intervention into a nationwide safety net.
- Sanku’s Small-Mill Model (Africa): Sanku is helping small and medium-sized mills fortify flour using innovative dosifier technology that makes fortification affordable and practical at scale. This is especially impactful since the majority of African households rely on small mills rather than large industrial producers.
- Millers for Nutrition Partnership (Global): A coalition of leading millers across Africa and Asia is committing to fortify staple foods at scale. With technical support and industry-led accountability, this partnership is changing the narrative—making fortification a market norm rather than a donor-driven add-on.
Together, these examples suggest that Africa can go further by combining legislation, innovation for smallholders, and private-sector leadership to build resilient fortification ecosystems.
5. If you could change just one assumption about fortification within the global nutrition community, what would it be?
The assumption that fortification alone is enough to solve malnutrition. It is powerful, but it only addresses specific micronutrient deficiencies. Malnutrition is broader; it requires combining fortification with dietary diversity, food literacy, and systemic changes in how food is produced and consumed.
6. What role does consumer awareness and behavior play in the success or failure of fortification initiatives?
Consumer awareness is critical. Without trust and consistent use, fortified foods can’t have their intended impact. Nutrition education should go hand-in-hand with fortification policies. We need to build a culture of food literacy, where people understand not only that fortified foods are safe, but also why they matter for health.
7. How do you see fortification fitting within broader food system transformation efforts like climate resilience or local food production?
Fortification is part of the bigger picture. It helps communities withstand shocks like climate change or disasters by ensuring that essential micronutrients are still accessible through staple foods. It also ties into the Sustainable Development Goals by addressing malnutrition while supporting resilience in food systems.
8. Is there one overlooked insight or lesson from your fieldwork or research that you believe more people in food and nutrition spaces should be talking about?
Yes, food literacy. Particularly among women, who hold significant purchasing power in households. Nutrition is not just about calories; it is also about culture, identity, comfort, and how we connect with our bodies.
We need to elevate food literacy as a core part of nutrition programmes. Without it, even the most well-designed fortification initiatives may fall short.
Closing Reflection
Geremew’s insights remind us that fortification is a powerful and scalable solution to combat malnutrition, a vital intervention that must be paired with education, innovation, and systemic transformation. For Africa, the challenge is not whether fortification matters, but how to make it sustainable, equitable, and truly impactful.