ROUND TABLE ON THE TOPIC “CREATION OF A NATIONAL PREMIX TURNOVER FUND IN TAJIKISTAN”
Nutrition, being the most important factor in human health, well-being and vital activity, inextricably linking human life with food, is necessary for body development, formation of cells and tissues, body provision with the necessary substances, formation of hormones, enzymes and other metabolic processes.
In order to protect public health and prevent foodborne diseases by fortifying food products, the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan adopted the Law of the Republic of Tajikistan “On Providing the Population with Fortified Food Products” in 2019. In order to implement this law, today, April 22, a round table was held at the Ministry of Health and Social population of the Republic of Tajikistan on the topic of “Creation of the National Fund for the Circulation of Premixes in Tajikistan”, at which the Deputy Minister of Health and Social Protection of the Population Abdukholik Amirzoda had a speech, representatives of the country’s relevant ministries and departments, a number of heads of food industry enterprises (flour and salt), as well as representatives of development partners in collaboration with the World Bank Group, the United Nations Children’s Fund, and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) project manager participated.
During the round table opening, the Deputy Minister of Health and Social Protection of the Population Abdukholik Amirzoda stated that improving the nutrition is important for strengthening the population health.
It should be noted that issues of arranging the public nutrition are considered ones of the main strategic areas of the country Government activity, and adoption of 2 laws, 2 strategies, 4 programs and 1 national plan in recent years is evidence of this issue importance.
Then the Director of the State Institution “Development of Entrepreneurship in Agriculture” Mr. Daler Satori spoke about the project “Strengthening the Sustainability of Agriculture” and the activities of “Creation of the National Fund for the Circulation of Premixes in Tajikistan”, the issue was addressed by Hazem Ibrahim Hanbal, a Senior Agricultural Economist for the World Bank Group in Tajikistan, and other officials.
The round table also discussed a number of issues, including the provision of information on the topics “Creation of the National Fund for the Circulation of Premixes in Tajikistan”, “Achievements in the implementation of the Program for prevention of micronutrient deficiency among the population of the Republic of Tajikistan for 2022-2027”, “Problems related to food fortification in the Republic of Tajikistan”, “Status of the regulatory framework for food fortification (Tajikstandard)”, “Assessment of a potential host agency for NRFP” and “Discussion of the assessment and design of the Fund results with the private sector”.
It is worth noting that the Republic of Tajikistan joined the Global Movement for Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) in 2013, becoming the 42nd country. Since 2015, the country has had an intersectoral coordination Council on Nutrition, which includes representatives of all ministries and departments, development partners, non-governmental organizations and civil society, which develops strategies and programs to improve nutrition, including the following: “Strategy for Development of School Nutrition in the Republic of Tajikistan for the Period up to 2027”, “Multi-sectoral Plan for Improving Nutrition in the Republic of Tajikistan for 2021-2025”, “National Communication Program for the First 1000 Days of a Child’s Life in the Republic of Tajikistan for 2020-2024”.
During the round table, a number of participants expressed their thoughts and ideas on various aspects of the project.
