Increase the number of caregivers who make behavioural changes to 430,000 people (30% of the target population) in 2025
Description
We set up our goal to achieve 430,000 caregivers to change their behavior by taking "KOKO Plus" in Ghana, in order to contribute to the national target of reduction of stunting.
In Ghana, almost 30% of 2-year-old babies are stunted due to malnutrition. The root cause is a typical complimentary food, called koko made of fermented maize, which mothers feed babies traditionally, but it doesn't contain enough nutrients.
To solve the issue, we started the project in 2009 with the University of Ghana and developed a food supplement "KOKO Plus", affordable with 0.1 US dollars, just to be added to their koko with nutrients like protein, vitamins, and minerals which are insufficient in traditional koko.
What we have done are to:
1) Develop product locally with the University of Ghana.
2) Respect the local food system by utilizing local ingredients soya bean, and be produced by the local food company.
3) Distribute KOKO Plus by the local NGO.
4) Collaborate with the public sector, Ghana Health Service (GHS) to educate caregivers by letting them know the importance of nutrition and making behavior change
To improve the nutrition status of infants, it is critical how to make a Behavior Change of caregivers. They rely on Community Health Nurses of GHS for health advice, and We proposed GHS to have Public-Private-Partnership to make behavior changes by developing effective nutrition education tools together and introducing "KOKO Plus" through the nurses.
In September 2018, the Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) between GHS and us was firstly signed and started collaborative activities, and the MOC was extended in August 2020 to continue the partnership.
Through the partnership with GHS, we have been creating
1) ecosystem for nutrition integral to Universal Health Coverage (UHC), and
2) sustainable nutritious food value chain for long-term nutrition intervention by market-based approach model.
What we focus on are to:
- Aim to expand the business to reach a sustainable scale for Ghanaian local companies, bringing big social impacts through a partnership with the public sectors. Our collaboration area of districts with GHS was 22% in FY20, targeting 70% in FY25.
- Strengthen evidence with local and international academia to prove the effectiveness of the project. We have been providing a practical and sustainable model with various partnerships with stakeholders.
-Reach 430,000 caregivers to feed the weaning children in FY2025, up from 90,000 in FY2020.
Overarching commitment (for commitments submitted pre-2025)
Title
Nutritional Initiatives of TAF
Description
1. GNIP: We will contribute to improving the nutrition status of infants in Ghana to the level of national targets to reduce stunting ratio from 21% in 2018 to 14% in 2025, and build a sustainable model through collaborative activities with the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Yedent Agro Food Processing and EXP Social Marketing Foundation, as well increase the number of caregivers who make behavioral changes (consider balanced diet and taking KOKO Plus), to 430 thousand people (30% of the target population) in 2025. In addition to collaborating with the United Nations World Food Programme, the Japanese Government, agencies, embassies, local partners and NGOs, and especially the strong partnership with the GHS, we focus on understanding the beneficiaries, and approaching and responding to each individual to practically improve the nutrition status of infants with our product “KOKO Plus,” a food supplement for infants developed, produced and distributed in Ghana through our collaboration. A model that enables important activities and enhances feasibility is about to be established, and after building up and strengthening this model in Ghana, we would like to contribute to improving the situation in other countries in Africa that have similar problems. 2. VINEP We will support the development of nutritional human resources and the establishment of clinical and public nutrition (including school nutrition) systems in cooperation with the national institutions of Vietnam, to improve the nutrition and health of Vietnamese people. Specifically, in clinical nutrition, we will help developing human resources at the minimum level of 20% of total dietitians or nutrition specialists required in Vietnamese hospitals to support Vietnam's national goal of assigning one dietitian or nutrition professional per 100 hospital beds by 2025 (totally 2,500 professionals required). To achieve the above, we will spend 100 million yen from 2021 to 2025, and know-how support by experts for improving the quality of education and training, developing education and nutrition management tools, nutritional research, and public relations activities. 3. AIN We will provide grants totaling over 100 million yen between 2021 and 2025 for organizations working internationally to solve food and nutrition issues through practical activities, in Africa, South America and Asia. In addition, we will provide know-how for sustainable activities to improve and leave an impact on the quality of life of people.4. Disaster-Stricken Nutrition We will distribute the "ARIGATO Recipe Collection", created based on the know-how of the community participatory cooking classes we have conducted for 10 years since the Great East Japan Earthquake, to 50,000 people nationwide. Using this tool, we will support the management of local cooking classes to urge healthy eating habits for residents by supporting the activity of “cooking together and eating together” in the regions. And we also will provide training and seminars to diet & nutrition volunteers 120 times in coming 2 years, to contribute to the capacity building of nutrition volunteers to communicate effectively with local communities in 60% of the municipalities in the three prefectures hit by the Great East Japan Earthquake. In addition, we will contribute to the creation of a system in which the food and nutrition of disaster victims are not neglected nor postponed in the event of disasters that will almost surely strike Japan in the future. We support people and organizations that are rooted in the community and carry out local support activities in the context of food and nutrition, in accordance with the 4th Food Education Promotion Basic Plan and Disaster Prevention Basic Plan of the Japanese Government. We provide the information and know-how accumulated in the reconstruction support project in Tohoku and through the disaster prevention activity network from the last decade, to revitalize local community support activities that reduce the mental and physical health risks of residents and extend healthy life expectancy, aiming to Build Back Better for individuals and communities. In addition, we will contribute to the creation of a system in which the food and nutrition of disaster victims are not neglected nor postponed in the event of disasters that will almost surely strike Japan in the future.
GNR assessment
Verification status |
Verified
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SMARTness index |
High
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Details
Target population characteristic |
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Global nutrition target(s) |
Anaemia
Low birth weight
Exclusive breastfeeding
Childhood stunting
Childhood wasting
Childhood overweight
Salt/sodium intake
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Nutrition Action Classification(s) |
Policy >
Consumer knowledge
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Linked event(s) |
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N4G Summit theme(s) |
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Measurement
Key indicator | Number of caregivers who changed behavior by using "KOKO Plus" |
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Value | Measurement date | |
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Baseline | 90,000 caregivers | 2020 |
Target | 430,000 caregivers | March 2026 |
Progress
Value | Measurement date | |
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Progress report | 120,000 caregivers | March 2024 |