The Regional Food Fortification Network is an initiative of the East, Central and Southern Africa Health Community (ECSA) whose Secretariat is based in Arusha, Tanzania. ECSA member states participating in this initiative are; Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Swaziland, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Other countries in the region that are also participating include; the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Madagascar and Rwanda.

The collaborating partners in this initiative are UNICEF (http://www.unicef.org), MOST (http://www.mostproject.org) , MI (http://www.micronutrient.org) , and with financial and technical support from USAID/REDSO/ESA (http://www.usaid.gov) and UNICEF ESARO.

The process started in earnest in 2004 when two consultations were held including participants from 13 countries. Areas where regional initiatives could support and enhance national programmes were identified and four technical groups were formed to prepare working proposals, including: Regulation and Control of Food Fortification Programmes; Regional Laboratory Network of Food Fortification Analysis; Implementation Support and Training on Food Fortification; and Regional Advocacy, Coordination and Resource Mobilization. The ECSA Secretariat was assigned to coordinate and follow up these and future activities. The regional action plans specifically focus on establishing:

• Consensus on regional harmonized fortification guidelines.
• Laboratory network for food fortification analysis.
• Regional training and development programmes.
• Coordinating and advocacy capacity at ECSA.

The technical working groups have been active for one year and have recommended action plans including strategies and activities to be planned and developed together with the private sector, both at the regional and national levels. In March 2005 in Malawi, regulatory, trade and food control officials considered regional standards for food fortification vehicles, premix and analytical methodologies. A follow-up workshop will be held in July 2005, to discuss member states’ achievements and progress in food fortification regulation, voluntary fortification and how to regulate claims, logos and seals. In January and April 2005, programme and communications experts considered the most effective avenues for regional communications to support national advocacy for food fortification. In May of 2005, a training course will be sponsored by the Medical Research Council of South Africa to impart critical skills and perspectives as well as lay the foundation for a Regional Laboratory Network of Food Fortification Analysis.

To date, this regional process has focused on defining responsibilities and capacity building needs among a range of government and regional public institutions. With public sector roles clarified, this process must expand to include food producers, processors, distributors, their suppliers and representatives of their customers. Therefore, a third workshop planned for Entebbe, Uganda in proposed to initiate this phase. This workshop will focus on advocacy for food fortification to the private sector; engaging the private sector in the planned national and regional activities; and strengthen public-private partnerships to extend food fortification programmes in the ECSA countries.