Ensuring food security and access to healthy nutrition is considered one of the strategic goals of the Government of the country. In this regard, the Law of the Republic of Tajikistan “On Ensuring Public Access to Fortified Food Products” has been adopted and is being implemented.
The purpose of implementing this law is to prevent micronutrient deficiencies in the human body through food fortification, prevent various diseases, reduce maternal and child mortality, and increase life expectancy.
In this connection, on April 20 of the current year, State Institution "Agriculture Entrepreneurship Development", within the framework of subcomponent 3.4 of the Strengthening Resilience of the Agricultural Sector Project, jointly with the Public Organization “Mashvarati Rasonavi” and the State Enterprise “Revolving Fund for Food Fortification of the Republic of Tajikistan”, held a meeting in the conference hall of “Sughdiyon” Hotel in Khujand city, Sughd region.
The event was attended by the heads of 13 flour and salt production enterprises, representatives of relevant ministries and agencies, media representatives, specialists in healthcare and social protection, representatives of Tajikstandard, and the agricultural sector.
The meeting was opened by Zarina Abdulloeva, an employee of the State Institution "Agriculture Entrepreneurship Development", who delivered remarks on the proper use of nutrition under current conditions.
Then, according to the program, substantial presentations were delivered by Muhammad Bakhtiyorzoda, Chief Specialist of the Industry Department of the Executive Authority of Sughd Region, Afzalsho Vohidzoda, representative of the Tajikstandard Agency, Ravshan Baqoev, Head of the regional laboratory of Tajikstandard, Leo Schulte Vennbur, representative of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), and Behruz Valiev, Director of the Revolving Fund for Food Fortification of the Republic of Tajikistan.
Their presentations focused on the implementation of the Program for the Prevention of Micronutrient Deficiencies and Related Diseases Among the Population for 2022–2027, the effectiveness of food fortification from a medical perspective, and emphasized that poor nutrition primarily negatively affects children and adolescents, pregnant women, and elderly people, leading to anemia, underweight, stunting, goiter, and other health issues.
It was also emphasized that the issue of food fortification is highlighted in Tajikistan’s state policy concept on healthy nutrition and in the legislation of the Republic of Tajikistan.
The need for food fortification is based on reliable and credible modern scientific evidence regarding the role of nutrition in protecting public health, changes in modern lifestyles, the selection and nutritional value of food products, consideration of environmental risk factors, and the actual provision of essential nutrients.
A deficiency of vitamins and minerals inevitably affects public health: average life expectancy decreases, and the level and quality of labor productivity among the working population decline, which in turn impacts the country’s development.
At the conclusion of the event, sector specialists provided useful recommendations for the implementation of the Law of the Republic of Tajikistan “On Ensuring the Population with Fortified Food Products” and for promoting proper nutrition among the population.
The purpose of holding these events is to raise public awareness of the importance of healthy nutrition, prevent malnutrition, and especially improve the overall health condition of society.
