Stakeholders Convene in Amhara to Strengthen Flour Fortification Enforcement
In collaboration with the Amhara National Regional State Trade and Market Development Bureau and HOPE Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus (HOPE-SBH), Sanku convened a high-level stakeholder workshop in Bahir Dar aimed at advancing the flour fortification agenda in Ethiopia’s Amhara Region.
The workshop focused on the region’s ongoing public health challenges, including high levels of child malnutrition characterized by stunting, wasting, and underweight prevalence. Discussions centered on the need to expand access to fortified flour while strengthening enforcement and compliance mechanisms to ensure consistent delivery of essential micronutrients through staple foods.
Participants included representatives from the House of Peoples’ Representatives, the Regional Council, and regional Bureaus of Health, Trade, Education, and Women, Children and Social Affairs. Officials from the Ethiopia Food and Drug Authority, mass media agencies, flour millers, and other sector stakeholders were also in attendance, reflecting a broad, multisectoral approach to fortification policy and implementation.
A key feature of the workshop was a panel discussion titled *“The Role of Key Stakeholders in Food Fortification Enforcement and Compliance.”* Panelists from both the public and private sectors, including regulators, millers, civil society organizations, and media representatives, examined practical pathways to strengthen coordination across institutions. The discussion addressed regulatory oversight, quality assurance and monitoring systems, public-private collaboration, and the role of public awareness in driving demand for fortified foods.
Speaking during the session, Dr. Adise Garkabo Fitamo (DBA), Sanku’s Senior Manager for Government Relations and Partnerships in Ethiopia, noted that coordinated action across sectors is essential to achieving scale. He emphasized that, in partnership with millers and government stakeholders, Sanku is working toward reaching more than 40 million people in Ethiopia with access to safe, nutritious, and fortified flour.
The workshop concluded with a shared commitment among participants to strengthen enforcement frameworks, improve inter-agency collaboration, and sustain momentum toward improved nutrition outcomes in the Amhara Region.