DSM, UNICEF, and Sight and Life partner to deliver better nutrition in Nigeria
NEW YORK, 30 October 2017 - Royal DSM, a global science company active in health and nutrition, UN children’s agency UNICEF, and Swiss-based humanitarian nutrition think tank Sight and Life today announced a new partnership to deliver better nutrition to at-risk children and mothers in Nigeria. The partners will also advocate on a global scale for micronutrient supplementation.
Guided by the Sustainable Development Goal’s target of ending hunger and improving nutrition everywhere, the partnership will focus on reaching mothers and children with nutrition interventions during the crucial first 1,000 days of children’s lives, from conception to age 2. Good nutrition during this period plays a vital role in supporting children’s physical and cognitive development with lifelong benefits.
Less than 20% of children in Nigeria are fed diets that meet the minimum adequacy for health growth and development and nearly 40% of children under 5 have stunted growth, a condition caused by malnutrition.
“Good nutrition is a human right. DSM is proud to partner once again with UNICEF and Sight and Life to improve nutrition in Nigeria and across Africa, especially for vulnerable populations like women and children. It is an important step toward achieving a world without hunger and a world in which people everywhere can reach their full potential,” said Feike Sijbesma, CEO and Chairman of the DSM Managing Board.
DSM offers essential vitamins, nutrients, and fortification solutions as well as expertise that complements the research, programs, and global reach of UNICEF and Sight and Life.
“Nutrition is one of the most effective and cost-effective investments we can make — in children’s lives and futures, and in the long-term strength of their societies,” said UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake. “Every child has a right to grow up healthy and strong, and this new partnership with Royal DSM and Sight and Life will help more children in Nigeria to realize that right.”
Together, the partners will develop scalable models and drive innovation to improve the quality of food and nutrition in Nigeria, with the goal of spurring similar action in other countries where malnutrition is a critical concern. The partners will also advocate on a global scale for best practices in micronutrient supplementation.
The new partnership builds on joint activity by DSM and UNICEF from 2013-2015 that supported micronutrient powder (MNP) programs in Madagascar and Nigeria. Together the organizations already improved nutrition for about 400,000 children in Nigeria through the MNP pilot program.
“With our expertise in implementation research and social and behaviour change communication, we will effectively contribute to nutrition programs at scale in Nigeria,” says Klaus Kraemer, Managing Director of Sight and Life.
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For more information please contact:
Sabrina Sidhu, UNICEF New York, + 1 917-476-1537, ssidhu@unicef.org
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About UNICEF
UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, to build a better world for everyone.
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Sight and Life™
Sight and Life™ is a humanitarian nutrition think tank delivering innovative solutions to eliminate all forms of malnutrition in children and women of childbearing age and improve the lives of the world’s most vulnerable populations. Sight and Life delivers value in the nutrition sphere by accelerating the translation of research to innovative solutions at scale. Our work begins with a profound understanding of the biological factors that influence the nutritional status, how to add nutrition value to food value chains, and ends with research on healthy choices for consumers. We translate our scientific knowledge to build sustainable business models and public-sector programs that deliver best possible strategies to communities. For more information please visit www.sightandlife.org.
DSM – Bright Science. Brighter Living.™
Royal DSM is a global science-based company active in health, nutrition, and materials. By connecting its unique competences in life sciences and materials sciences DSM is driving economic prosperity, environmental progress and social advances to create sustainable value for all stakeholders simultaneously. DSM delivers innovative solutions that nourish, protect and improve performance in global markets such as food and dietary supplements, personal care, feed, medical devices, automotive, paints, electrical and electronics, life protection, alternative energy and bio-based materials. DSM and its associated companies deliver annual net sales of about €10 billion with approximately 25,000 employees. The company is listed on Euronext Amsterdam. More information can be found at www.dsm.com
