IEC as a Tool for Success of
Fortification Programmes
Deepti Gulati,
Senior Programme Associate, South Asia
GAIN: Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition
India has a very high burden
of undernutrition and
micronutrient malnutrition…..
It is a ‘Silent Emergency’
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Food and Nutrition Security
 Food security and nutritional adequacy are not
automatically or sequentially linked
 Food security at the national level has not translated into
food and nutritional adequacy at the household level.
India offers an ironic paradox: malnutrition occurring
amidst food (mainly cereal) self-sufficiency
 Malnutrition persists due to unequal or lack of access to
adequate food and deficiency of vital nutrients
Anaemia, Vitamin A deficiency, IDD
are the key public health problems in India
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Why Good Nutrition Is Important
• Access to good nutrition and health:
– Is a fundamental human right
– Cornerstones that define the health of all
• Good nutrition helps us to
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grow,
develop,
work,
resist infection ….
realize our full potential as individuals and as societies
• A healthy population contributes to productivity and
economic growth
Malnutrition impedes individual and national progress
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Malnutrition Affects
Health and Survival
Educability
Economic Productivity
Disability
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Impact of Micronutrient Malnutrition
Learning ability
School performance
Retention rates
Speech & hearing defects
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Key Strategies for Reducing
Micronutrient Malnutrition
Dietary Diversification
Micronutrient Supplementation and
Food Fortification
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Micronutrient Deficiencies
These are among the ‘Most Prevalent’
health problems worldwide
Yet
Programs targeting micronutrient
malnutrition often have
Least Success: poor implementation,
and impact
Least Enthusiasm: directed at solutions
Least Resource Allocation
Why ?
Micronutrient deficiencies
Don’t always have easily noticeable
symptoms and warning signs
May remain unrecognized despite their
devastating impact
Thus ……
May not be viewed as a priority by
politicians, policy makers, programme
implementers and also the beneficiaries
What Should We Be Doing ?
We must:
Build Concern for Problem
Motivate Action
Sustain the Solution
One of the most effective way to
achieve these is to build awareness
about the issues of micronutrient
malnutrition which would generate
backing for the ideas and lead to
effective actions
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Whom Should We Communicate With?
Government Decision / Policy-makers
NGO Partners
Medical Community
Religious Leaders
Industry
Mass Media
Other Professional groups
The ‘End Beneficiaries’, and
Potential opponents of fortification
What Should We Aim At ?
We should aim to make all the concerned ….
Aware that there is a problem
Know how to solve it
Convinced that there is a benefit in doing so,
be it ….
Political
Economical
Corporate Imaging
Social, or
Personal health and well-being
Convinced that it is feasible to act and reduce
micronutrient malnutrition
How to Advocate for Fortification
Programmes
 Present the data on prevalence / magnitude to
assert that the problem exists to policy makers
(politicians and bureaucrats) and donors
 Define the Impact of the problem at the individual /
national level
 Substantiate with local / global experiences that
the chosen approach is a proven and tested
solution
 Describe the potential benefits and costeffectiveness
 Alleviate the concerns and fears of target
audience (levels, costs, will it work / impact,
safety / toxicity, etc...)
Making IEC an Effective Tool
for Advocacy on Fortification
To succeed and sustain impact, it is essential to:
• Identify specific issues for policy action
• Develop strong and purposeful advocacy
messages
• Choose appropriate delivery formats and content
for maximum impact,
• Tailor messages to specific, identified audiences,
• Ensure continued “Positive reinforcement” by
“Advocacy”
Remember to focus on ways to present the
message: Most Simply yet Dramatically
What is a message?
A “message” is a concise and persuasive
statement that captures:
what we want to achieve,
why and
how
The underlying purpose of a message is to
create action,
So, the message should also include the
specific action that we would like the target
audience to take.
Key Elements of Effective Messaging
• Content / Ideas: Use arguments to persuade
• Language: Choose words to get the message across
clearly and effectively: Avoid technical terms or jargon,
and build a positive images rather than negative
connotations.
• Source / Messenger: Select a credible source
• Format: Use medium delivers the message with
maximum impact: meeting, letter, brochure, or radio / TV
• Time / Place / Occasion: Select best time, place and
occasion to deliver the message: to enhance its credibility
and / or give it a more socio-political impact
Deliver a consistent message through a variety of
channels over an extended period of time so that it is well
absorbed and internalized for action
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IEC for Decision Makers
• Messages and proposals to decision makers should be
short, concise, and persuasive
• Wherever possible, provide:
– fortification benefits
– economic arguments such as the potential budgetary savings..
use of fortified soyadal analogue in ICDS / MDM, and
– national cost of neglecting: economic loss due to MND is 5% of
GDP and solutions cost 0.3% of GDP
• Present a concept note with:
– an action plan
– cost implications and
– experiences in other states / countries
…this facilitates policy makers to take decisions
• Communicate (may be subtly) how the proposed action
would build his or her image … ‘feel good factor’
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IEC for Media and The Press
• “Media” is any organized system that delivers
information to large numbers of people
• It can be a powerful tool for
– building wide support for advocacy on micronutrient
malnutrition and food fortification
– effectively conveying information to all sectors of society.
• The information that the press and broadcast media
report and how they treat issues can influence:
– broad public opinion and
– thinking of individual decision makers.
• Media can include radio, television, newspapers,
magazines, trade journals or community newsletters
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IEC Tools for Media
• Media generally likes to know how a situation affects
individuals and often reports “human interest stories.”
using someone’s experience as an example.
• Media are also usually interested in:
– new, ground-breaking information, and / or
– how an issue relates to a current happening
• The tools:
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news release
press conference or media event
issue briefing for journalists
graphics or illustrations, fact sheet or background sheet
media packet/press kit
letter to the editor
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IEC for General Public
• The general public is becoming an increasingly relevant
and forceful constituency for demand creation and policy
change
• Ultimately, the public is the end-user of programmes,
therefore, it is useful to direct advocacy messages at
them
• Messages to the general public should be simple, clear,
concise and persuasive, and action-oriented.
• People often want to know how a programme will directly
affect or benefit them
• The Tools:
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Banners, pamphlets, brochures, fliers
Presentations at community meetings
newspaper ads or articles, fact sheets
radio shows, television shows or news
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IEC for Food Industry
• Food industry needs to be involved and made partners in
our fight against micronutrient malnutrition
• Fortification is doable only when industry comes on board
• The IEC tools need to address their concerns regarding:
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Regulatory provisions
Cost of new technology
Technical feasibility and know how
Expected extra work load and financial compensations
Marketing benefits and profits
Other countries successful experiences
Types, level and safety of fortificants to be used
Shelf life and storage
Social and or Brand image (in case of voluntary fortification)
Fortification: Rich Returns on
Low Investment
Fortification has a great
potential of enriching the
quality of food and in
turn, enriching the life of
millions of children; by
giving them a healthy
start to life which they
rightly deserve
OUR RESOLVE….
As policy makers, public health and
nutrition professionals, economists
and business representatives, we
cannot stand by while micronutrient
deficiencies cause enormous loss
of life and impose chronic
disabilities of mind and body on
future generations in India.
We have an unparalleled
opportunity to give all Indian
children a chance to lead full and
productive lives and contribute to
the growth of the nation.
Lets not miss out….
Thank you !!