World Food Programme fortifies local rice for School Feeding Programme, trains caterers on best nutritional practices

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has launched a campaign to promote the consumption of locally-produced rice in the country.

It is believed that local rice is more nutritious and thus, healthy for human consumption than imported rice.

As part of efforts to encourage the consumption of locally produced rice, the UN Agency has introduced carbon rice for the School Feeding Programme to be cooked for school children.

They also said they will be introducing fortified local rice with some food nutrients including iron for the school feeding programme.

The WFP in partnership with the School Feeding Programme, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and other partners trained caterers under the School Feeding Programme in the Tolon District of the Northern Region on how to handle the preparation of the local rice and other meals to retain most of its nutrients.

Policy Officer at the World Food Programme, Emma Anaman in an interview with GhanaWeb said the consumption of the local rice especially for children is important as they are at the early stages of their development, hence they need more nutrients to help them grow well.

She said aside from its nutritional benefits, the consumption of local rice supports the growth of the local rice market.

She said: It is important that we focus on nutrition, apart from it being our mandate, it also has significant benefits for the children and the local economy as well".

The Northern Regional Director of Education, Hajia Katumi Nantogmah Attah while underscoring the importance of the intervention by the WFP said it would go a long way to improve the nutritional levels of school children in the region.

She said statistics indicate that the Northern Region is one of the regions with the highest rate of undernutrition in the country, hence local rice which has high nutritional values needs to now be supplied to schools.

Hajia Katumi commended the WFP for stepping in to ensure school children under the School Feeding Programme are fed with nutritious meals.