The regional food fortification activity is based on the food systems approach to improving nutrition outcomes

The Federal Grant Award is a Cooperative Agreement (Award ID: 72062424LA00001) worth $7,200,000.00, awarded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) under the USAID Foreign Assistance for Programs Overseas (CFDA 98.001) program. The award funds the Regional Food Fortification (RFF) Activity, which seeks to improve nutrition outcomes in West Africa by partnering with the private sector to produce quality fortified foods and working with regulatory institutions to ensure a fair business environment through harmonized regional regulations.

The prime awardee is Technoserve, Inc., a non-profit organization that specializes in providing technical assistance, capacity building, and implementation support for international development initiatives focused on agriculture, food security, and economic growth. Technoserve will collaborate with the Africa Trade and Investment (ATI) Initiative to partner with large, well-established food industry companies positioned to drive systemic change in multiple countries and trade across borders within West Africa. The award period is from June 10, 2024, to June 9, 2029.

The RFF Activity includes two sub-awards: one to Emory University to support the WA Food Fortification Initiative, and another to Nutrition International and ISF Advisors, also for the WA Food Fortification Initiative. The sub-awards provide additional expertise and capabilities to strengthen the overall program objectives.

IT relies on the private sector to produce quality fortified foods under safe and hygienic conditions, and regulatory institutions to ensure a fair business environment by enforcing harmonized regional regulations among all producers. Particularly, the RFF activity will work with the africa trade and investment (ATI) initiative to partner with large and well-established food industry companies positioned to drive systemic change in multiple countries, and have the capacity to trade across borders within west africa.