WFP decides to extend anemia reduction project in AJK

09 Dec, 2016

MUZAFFARABAD: World Food Program (WFP) Friday decided to extend its wheat and flour fortification project in Azad Kashmir (AJK) for further one year with the aim to overcome the anemia problem in the poor class in collaboration with Micro-nutrient Initiative (MI), Secretary Food Department Raja Muhammad Abbas said.

Abbas told that this was decided in a high level meeting attended by WFP officials, Senior Technical Adviser MI headquarter Dr. Noor Ahmadand Policy officer MI, Dr. Masood Abbasi besides officials of the food department to review the impacts of the project.

The meeting also discussed in detail the sustainability of the project, fortification of wheat and flour as per World Health Organization (WHO) standards and post withdrawal strategy and emphasized the Food Department to take over the project on sustainable basis to achieve the goals on permanent basis.

The Secretary Food Department AJK while appreciating the initiatives of the WFP and the MI to overcome the food deficiency issues in Azad Kashmir, sought their technical cooperation for the up- gradation of food testing laboratory established under the WFP at Mirpur and establishment of two more such laboratories at Rawalakot and Muzaffarabad.

The officials of the WFP and the MI present in the meeting assured every assistance to food department ensuring quality of food so that the anemia like conditions of the masses could be improved particularly for the procurement of premix even after the withdrawal of project assistance.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2016

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