Global malnutrition and cereal fortification, chapt. 7 : case study, Guatemala

BENEFITS. THE APPLICATION OF THIS METHODOLOGY TO GUATEMALA SHOWS THAT INTERVENTION WILL NOT SUCCEED WITHOUT PROTEIN SUPPLEMENTS TO ELIMINATE CALORIE DEFICITS IN LOW-INCOME GROUPS, PARTICULARLY AMONG PRESCHOOL CHILDREN. THE FORTIFICANT MIX MUST VARY TO MEET REGIONAL NEEDS. THE STRUCTURE OF THE COMMODITY SYSTEM MAY REQUIRE A DUAL APPROACH TO FORTIFICATION INTERVENTIONS. RURAL CONSUMERS ARE BEST REACHED THROUGH A NETWORK OF NIXTAMAL MILLERS. URBAN CONSUMERS ARE BEST REACHED THROUGH THE CENTRAL PROCESSING OF COMMERCIAL TORTILLAS. BECAUSE OF THE TREMENDOUS COST OF SUCH A PROGRAM, GOVERNMENTS SHOULD ELECT TARGET-GROUP COVERAGE INSTEAD OF COMPLETE NATIONAL FORTIFICATION AS THEIR GOAL. TARGETING CAN BE REGIONAL, OR ON A VILLAGE BY VILLAGE BASIS. COST COMPUTATIONS FOR ONE OF THE SIX REGIONS OF GUATEMALA SHOW THAT A FORTIFICATION PROGRAM WOULD COST $9.1 MILLION. THE GOVERNMENT WOULD HAVE TO BEAR THIS COST.