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[chapeau]In a country where child malnutrition still affects one in two infants, Nutri’zaza offers a sustainable way of combating this scourge by marketing a local, effective product that is accessible to all. [/chapeau]
In Madagascar, food security is still very fragile. Children are particularly at risk: it is estimated that one in two children under 5 suffers from chronic malnutrition (ESD, 2008-2009). Less visible than acute malnutrition, which is characteristic of food crises, chronic malnutrition nevertheless delays children’s development and weakens their health. The after-effects are irreversible after the age of two, and chronic malnutrition is one of the main causes of mortality in young children. This is due to the inadequate quality of young children’s diets (breastfeeding practices and diets that do not cover essential needs, poor-quality complementary foods).
It was to address this problem in a sustainable way that the social enterprise Nutri’zaza was created in 2013. Following on from the “Nutrimad” project launched ten years earlier by GRET, Nutri’zaza distributes a complementary food, Koba Aina, to underprivileged populations via a network of baby restaurants (hotelin-jazakely) and a home sales network. [blockquote noquote=”1″ float=”right”] By becoming a founding shareholder of Nutri’zaza, and an active shareholder on the Board of Directors, SIDI is helping to support the company’s development and give it the means to experiment with different models in order to perpetuate a service that plays a key role in reducing chronic malnutrition in Madagascar. [/blockquote] This highly nutritious infant flour provides the elements needed for infant growth when breastfeeding is no longer sufficient (from 6 months) and traditional household meals are not yet sufficient. Koba Aina is produced and packaged from Madagascan raw materials and based on a nutritional formula developed by GRET. The product complies with the strictest international quality standards, both in terms of nutrition and health. This product offers the best value for money on the market, so that we can reach the most vulnerable households. Nutri’zaza also provides families with a place to check their children’s health, with regular weighing and monitoring of undernutrition. To reinforce its impact on the most disadvantaged populations, Nutri’zaza has also developed long-term partnerships with local associations, regularly supplying them with Koba Aina at highly preferential prices.
In order to guarantee the equilibrium of its economic model, Nutri’zaza is banking on the transformation of Koba Aina into a mass consumption product, intended for and accessible to as many people as possible, notably through the traditional distribution network (supermarkets, local grocery stores, etc.).
