Promoting Rice Fortification in Nigeria (PRiFN) Project
The Promoting Rice Fortification in Nigeria (PRiFN) Project is an initiative funded by the World Food Programme (WFP) to increase the adoption of rice fortification by rice millers and processors as well as to promote the consumption of fortified rice in Nigeria. The project aims to support the Nigerian government’s fight against malnutrition (especially micronutrient deficiency) in the country by supporting rice mills with requisite capacity including equipment and other fortification inputs to produce rice fortified with essential vitamins and minerals, contributing to better nutrition for 200,000 school-age children.
Context
Micronutrient deficiencies are a growing public health challenge in Nigeria, with significant impacts on children under five, pregnant women, adolescents, and women of reproductive age. The 2021 National Food Consumption and Micronutrient Survey highlighted the severity of this issue, prompting the Federal Government of Nigeria to take decisive action. As part of its national micronutrient deficiency control strategy, the government approved the fortification of rice with essential nutrients, including iron, zinc, folic acid, and vitamins B1, B3, B6, and B12. This strategy aims to reduce the prevalence of anemia and other nutrient-related health issues, particularly among vulnerable groups who depend on rice as a dietary staple.
Opportunity
With rice as one of Nigeria’s most widely consumed staple foods — nearly three-quarters of children between the ages of 4 and 13 reporting it as their most frequently consumed food — fortification presents a powerful opportunity to improve public health at scale. School feeding programs serve approximately 10 million children across 57,000 public primary schools, a critical entry point for fortified rice. The PRiFN project addresses this gap in Nigeria’s nutrition strategy by equipping rice millers within the school feeding (and other safety nets) supply chain to fortify rice with essential vitamins and minerals. By strengthening the rice value chain, PRiFN enables the production of nutrient-dense rice products that can reach vulnerable populations through key delivery channels, such as school feeding programs and other social safety nets. This initiative aims to improve health outcomes while fostering a more inclusive and nutrition-sensitive food system in Nigeria.
The Strategy
The PRiFN project focuses on equipping and supporting rice mills to integrate fortification processes and ensure that fortified rice reaches priority populations. Key pillars of the strategy include:
- Technical Support for Rice Mills: including equipment, technical inputs, and advisory services to enable the production of fortified rice in two medium-scale rice mills in Kano State.
- Strengthening Supply for School Feeding Programs: The fortified rice produced under PRiFN is targeted for consumption in school feeding programs, helping to reach children with essential nutrients.
- Capacity Building and Sensitization: The project builds the capacity of rice mills, government stakeholders, and media personnel to increase awareness and promote the health benefits of fortified rice.
- Stakeholder Engagement: PRiFN facilitates partnerships with government agencies, rice processors, and civil society organizations to ensure the sustainability and scale-up of rice fortification.
By leveraging TechnoServe’s expertise in supply chain development and its regional experience in promoting micronutrient fortification through private sector engagement, alongside WFP’s global leadership in nutrition and rice fortification, PRiFN is driving change at multiple levels of the rice value chain. The project aims to reach 200,000 school-age children with fortified rice during its year of implementation.
Results
Since its inception, PRiFN has achieved key milestones:
- Government and Stakeholder Engagement: Finalized preliminary engagements with key government bodies and stakeholders, ensuring alignment with Nigeria’s national rice fortification strategy.
- Capacity Building for Rice Mills: Trained over 20 rice mills on fortification processes and techniques to strengthen local production capacity.
- Media Engagement: Trained over 30 media personnel on the nutritional and health benefits of fortified rice, supporting public awareness campaigns.
- Community Sensitization: Conducted cooking demonstrations using fortified rice in four Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Kano State, promoting community acceptance and adoption of fortified rice.
Partners
