2014-2015

COMBATING CHILD MALNUTRITION WITH ENTREPRENEURSHIP

2014-2015

GRET

Since 1976, GRET has been working with people living in low-income countries to provide sustainable responses to the challenges of poverty and inequality. GRET’s approach favours co-construction over handouts and capacity-building over substitution. We funded GRET to increase the resilience of rural and fishing communities in Madagascar, Myanmar and Senegal, and to fight malnutrition in Cambodia, Myanmar and Burkina Faso.

www.gret.org

CHALLENGE

Nearly half of all deaths in children under five are linked to undernutrition. It puts children at greater risk of common infections, increases their frequency and severity, and delays recovery. In most cases, this is due to poor-quality food and unsuitable hygiene and healthcare practices.

ACTION

Following the success of Nutri’zaza – a Malagasy social enterprise that produces and sells ready-to-eat fortified porridge at the lowest possible cost as a complement to breast milk – GRET tested similar models in Burkina Faso, Cambodia and Myanmar. As well as working with local companies to set up production units and sales networks, GRET’s campaigns raised awareness of best practice in infant nutrition, hygiene and health.

IN BURKINA FASO

GRET established the production and sales network of a ready-to-eat porridge called Laafi Benre in four vulnerable districts of Ouagadougou. Containing fortified flours, the complementary food is made by local production units and sold at affordable prices by women in permanent market kiosks and through a network of street vendors. 

IN CAMBODIA

GRET developed and marketed a fortified complementary food known as Bobor Rong Roeung. With excellent nutritional qualities, it was approved by the Cambodian Ministry of Health and sold in Takeo and Phnom Penh’s local shops in small sachets to make one meal.

IN MYANMAR

GRET developed a fortified complementary food called May May Myitta. Studies were conducted to launch a local marketing model in Yangon. However, activities had to be suspended due to new legislation that prohibited all communication on fortified food as a major solution to fight malnutrition.

IMPACT

The three programmes were part of Nutridev, a global initiative to prevent malnutrition in developing countries, designed and implemented by GRET and the IRD since 1994.

55,000

MEALS OF LAAFI BENRE SOLD

in one year in Burkina Faso, corresponding to 1.5 tonnes of fortified flour

340

WOMEN EMPLOYED

in the three fortified flour production units in Burkina Faso

860,000

MEALS OF BOBOR RONG ROEUNG SOLD

in 2014 in Cambodia