DSM and UN commit to helping 25-30m malnourished people by 2013
The organisations that have worked together since 2007 will focus on pregnant and nursing women, young children and vulnerable households and seeks to help 25-30m people in two years.
The WFP and DSM have implemented fortification and micronutrient-boosting programmes in places like Nepal, Kenya, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.
"As the world's largest producer of vitamins and other micronutrients we have a clear responsibility to help solve the globe's most solvable problem: hidden hunger,” said Feike Sijbesma, CEO and Chairman of the DSM Managing Board.
“DSM is immensely proud of our partnership with WFP and intensifying this successful relationship has yielded the ambitious plan of more than doubling the number of beneficiaries over the next three years."
A video about the partnership can be seen here.
An economic problem?
According to one study, stunting is associated with a 65% less income, while another study has estimated that GDP in Central American countries is about $6.7 billion per year - or 6% of total GDP – lower than it could be as a result of stunting, said the WFP's Nils Grede previously.
"Researchers have estimated that it will cost around 10 billion dollars per year to address all forms of malnutrition," he said. "What a good investment if for 10 billion [globally] we can get a payback of nearly 7 billion in just these countries”
“One doesn’t have to be an investment banker to understand this logic.”
“Not only is a stunted child more likely to get sick and die early, learn less, and earn less, but also they will be affected by a much higher incidence of chronic diseases later in life."
