Tuesday, February 19, 2019, 14:00 pm - 15:30 pm
IFPRI Malawi Office
Area 14/205, Lilongwe
For directions to our office click here.
IFPRI Malawi invites you to a Brown Bag Research Seminar presentation by
Rachel Gilbert, Research Analyst, IFPRI.
Topic
Market demand for and nutrient and mycotoxin levels in commercially-sold premixed cereals for complementary feeding of infants in Malawi
Abstract
High-quality fortified premixed cereals can help caregivers meet infants’ nutrient needs after 6 months of exclusive breastfeeding. Such cereals are widely used in nutrition assistance programs, but commercially-sold brands are often poorly regulated using quality assurance standards for composition and labeling. Additionally, local commercial premixed cereals (CPC) producers sell less expensive products than established multinational brands that dominate the market. However, demand for local products remains limited in part due to lack of trust in unobservable characteristics like nutrient content and food safety. Previous work has shown wide variation in quality across and within countries, and potentially high willingness to pay for certification services. This presentation will describe test results for macronutrients, iron, zinc, aflatoxins, and fumonisin from 94 cereals collected in Malawi, combined with results of a marketplace survey using two valuation methods to understand market demand for CPC in Malawi. Our findings demonstrate potential for increased sales of locally-made premixed cereals and show that these are likely to displace only plain maize porridge and thereby improve overall diet quality. However, trustworthy quality assurance standards to improve quality and labeling practices, particularly for locally-produced complementary foods, are needed to ensure the safety and health of Malawian infants.
Please RSVP to the IFPRI Malawi office (ifpri-lilongwe@cgiar.org) if you plan to attend, or designate someone to attend in your place as space is limited.
