1While chronic malnutrition may go unrecognised, its consequences may not, notably in children under the age of two, whose physical and cognitive growth can become permanently stunted. In 1994, this resulted in the search for a concrete expression of certain results of research conducted by nutritionists from the Institute, by encouraging them to work with the Gret NGO (Professionals for fair development) to launch the Nutridev programme. The three objectives of this programme were to raise awareness of better nutrition practices, make appropriate food accessible to a wider audience and improve health services.

Child eating enhanced gruel, Burkina Faso.

2In Madagascar, the initial idea was to develop recipes so that mothers could prepare enhanced gruel themselves, independently and economically, based on local ingredients. However, the required procedures were too restrictive to be followed on a daily basis. Hence a change of strategy, and the agreement signed with a local company in 2002 for the production of flour (Koba Aina) made from maize, rice and pulses, used to prepare gruel intended to supplement breast milk from the age of six months.

Training in the preparation of fortified gruel, Madagascar.

3Over the same period in Vietnam, fortified rice flour was produced by State-owned and private companies until 2007. In Burkina Faso, the production of complementary foods was entrusted to local small businesses.

••• For the past 25 years, the Nutridev programme has developed innovative solutions for children under the age of two and women of child-bearing age with a view to preventing chronic malnutrition in young children •••

4Today, Gret continues to help some 20 local companies worldwide to produce quality fortified foods, developed in conjunction with nutritionists. These very economical foods, tailored to nutritional needs and local eating habits, are promoted and sold to families through a variety of distribution channels. In Madagascar, the Nutri’zaza social enterprise, created in 2013, employs approximately 100 women who work in children’s nursery and mobile sales networks. Over the past 25 years, the programme has provided children from more than 10 countries with over 30 fortified foods produced by some 40 local companies.

Production of therapeutic food in Vietnam.

“Since 2013, I have run the Nutri’zaza social enterprise, which implements, in close partnership with Nutridev, a sustainable strategy recognised as effective in the fight against chronic malnutrition in Madagascar. To this end, the training I received from IRD researchers in the early 2000s during my Master’s internship, combined with the experience I gained subsequently by participating in various Nutridev research-action projects has been really helpful to me.” 
Mieja Vola Rakotonarivo, head of the Nutri’zaza social enterprise, Madagascar