The Mozambican government is seeking to strengthen systems for collecting, managing and using data on food fortification, viewing such information as essential for improving the fight against micronutrient deficiencies and guiding more effective public policy in the nutrition sector.
The position was set out on Wednesday, 5 August, at the opening of a workshop on Data Priorities for Food Fortification, a two-day event running through Thursday that has brought together representatives from the government, the Southern African Development Community (SADC), development partners, the food industry and civil society.
Secretary of State for Industry Custódia Paunde said that the production of fortified foods constitutes the ‘backbone’ of the National Food Fortification Programme, and called for greater coordination among the institutions involved.
‘This workshop aims to discuss innovative approaches to strengthen food fortification data systems in Mozambique, ensuring that the priorities identified translate into concrete, monitorable commitments,’ she said.
According to the minister, the 2025 balance sheet shows an increase in the production and distribution of fortified maize flour, wheat flour, sugar, cooking oil and iodised salt, reinforcing the domestic industry’s capacity to supply foods with improved nutritional quality.
Raymond Chikomba, Senior Nutrition Specialist at SADC’s Social and Human Development Unit and co-chair of the Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Coordination Mechanism (ESA RCM), stressed that the availability of reliable information is essential for assessing the impact of food fortification.
Maaike Arts, Head of Health and Nutrition at the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Mozambique, similarly argued that quality data makes it possible to identify gaps, guide resource allocation and measure the impact of interventions.
Eduarda Mungoi, coordinator of the National Food Fortification Committee (CONFAM), explained that the meeting stems from recommendations made at a regional dialogue held in Addis Ababa in 2025, and is intended to strengthen the impact of fortification on reducing micronutrient deficiencies.
According to Mungoi, Mozambique records fortification compliance rates of between 60% and 70%, but challenges persist — particularly among small-scale maize flour and salt producers, who require greater technical support, oversight and access to inputs to ensure sustainable fortification.
Source: Diário Económico
Original article: https://www.diarioeconomico.co.mz/2026/08/05/desenvolvimento-2/executivo-quer-reforcar-uso-de-dados-no-combate-a-desnutricao/
