Right now in Ethiopia, nearly half of all children under the age of 5 are stunted and anemic. Not only are they short for their age, but they also suffer from diminished cognitive abilities and are more vulnerable to health problems overall.
According to the World Food Program , stunted children are more likely to repeat grades in school and achieve, on average, a year less schooling than other children. Nearly one third of child mortality in Ethiopia is associated with undernutrition. A weakened economy only feeds back into the vicious cycle; fewer internal resources are available to feed the population and invest in economic development. At Partners in Food Solutions, however, we like to see that vicious cycle as a potentially virtuous cycle.
When you turn it around, it means that better nutrition and sustained food security can drive economic growth. One crucial, but often overlooked, component of better nutrition is the fortification of basic foodstuffs. In Ethiopia and throughout much of sub-Saharan Africa, food insecurity is often coupled with lower-quality food β an unvaried diet low in micronutrients. That recently changed.
The impact on the health of the population and the strength of the Ethiopian economy could be immense, as 19 more millers may soon be part of a network of outlets making fortified products available to customers throughout the country. These entrepreneurs are building profitable businesses that can raise living standards in their communities by enabling them to buy more crops from local farmers, hire more workers and provide higher-quality, less expensive food.
To maximize the opportunity, many processors are looking for technical and business counsel. That is where Partners in Food Solutions comes in. Then we make it possible for these volunteers to reach across the globe without ever leaving their offices or labs. They use email, Skype and our cloud-based software to connect with businesses in Africa.
