Tanzania has introduced a mandatory food fortification programme to tackle the country’s high rates of undernutrition. Experience from other countries shows that fortification can add vital micronutrients into commonly eaten foods at a low cost. However, getting food-processing companies to comply with the programme will be a major challenge, and this will be even more difficult in the informal markets used by poor people, who are most vulnerable to undernutrition.
This policy briefing recommends that stakeholders in government and development partners need to implement specific, evidence-based approaches to cover these markets. As part of their strategy, they should also support other channels beside fortification to reach very poor and rural populations.