Report

The Role of Businesses in Providing Nutrient-Rich Foods for the Poor: A Case Study in Tanzania

Published on 19 February 2014

This case study of a Tanzanian food processing business analyses the potential of mid-sized businesses to contribute to tackling undernutrition. Particularly among young children and pregnant mothers, undernutrition has lifelong consequences and impedes individuals’ health, wellbeing and life chances. Providing nutrients through food is one way to reduce undernutrition, in conjunction with improvements in health and sanitation.

This report was produced as part of the Reducing Hunger and Undernutrition Programme, funded by DFID and is part of a project on strengthening agri-food value chains for nutrition.

This report examines how private companies can contribute to producing and delivering nutrient-rich foods to undernourished populations, as well as the constraints they face in doing so. It offers recommendations to governments, non-profit organisations and other development actors on how to collaborate with businesses in this area to catalyse their potential. The study examines the case of Power Foods Limited, a midsize company, and the first in Tanzania to produce fortified nutrient-rich foods from traditional crops. It is also the first local company to produce ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF), used for the treatment of severe acute malnutrition

Authors

John Humphrey

Professorial Fellow

Spencer Henson

Professorial Fellow

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Publication details

published by
IDS
authors
Maestre, M., Robinson, E., Humphrey, J. and Henson, S.
journal
IDS Evidence Report, issue 52

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About this publication

Region
Tanzania

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