Procuring supplies for children
Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food Supply Chain analysis
The Nutrition Articulation Project
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| © UNICEF/NYHQ2007-0149/Getachew |
| Ten month old Bereket Geyidere receives RUTF far the treatment of severe malnutrition at the Segen Clinic, Ethiopia |
Demand for peanut-based Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) more then doubled in 2008, following the shift from hospital-based to community-based treatment for severe acute malnutrition (SAM). Maintaining an effective and efficient supply chain for RUTF is critical in the fight against malnutrition and for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) with respect to child mortality.
Funded by the UN Inter Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Global Nutrition Cluster, Supply Division, as the leading global procurer of RUTF, initiated a study in conjunction with Duke University and the University of North Carolina (UNC), programme staff, freight forwarders, manufacturers, governments and NGOs, to investigate all aspects of the nutrition supply chain. This study focused on countries in the Horn of Africa (Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia) against the background of the continuing food crisis in 2008.
A website about the project (The Nutrition Articulation Project) has been established and a detailed report published: A supply chain analysis of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food for the Horn of Africa (PDF, 3271 Kb)
Several opportunities for improvement of the RUTF supply chain were identified:
• Preposition buffer stock to decrease lead times and improve delivery of RUTF
• Diversify the supplier base to better serve global needs
• Increase collaboration with donors and implementing partners to improve forecasting and funding availability
• Improve data quality of forecasted need for RUTF
• Improve information flow through increased transparency and new information communication mechanisms
• Improve tracking through harmonized key performance indicators for lead time, landed cost, quality and access
As well as the website and published report, a time-phased action plan is currently under implementation, and the entire process and methodology was documented to help future supply chain analysis in the nutrition sector.
For more information contact Paul Molinaro, ART Coordinator, Supply Division.
