Project Title: Understanding climate change mitigation and adaptation impacts of large-scale food fortification
Research Goal: The research goal of the MScCCAFS Research Project is identify, measure and predict scenarios for the climate change mitigation and adaptation impacts of large-scale food fortification activities of GAIN.
Research Objectives
- To conduct a literature review (of all peer-reviewed and formal literature e.g. project reports etc) of the resource footprint (including greenhouse gases) of food fortification, along food fortification value and supply chains. Review the complete impact pathway of fortification and the ‘fortification value chain’ to ensure a complete picture of emissions. This includes the production of the food vehicle, the manufacture, packaging and distribution of fortificant; food processing; packaging of fortified foods; and distribution of fortified foods; testing (including the use of reagents), and finally, waste disposal. I will be focus on food fortification via the food vehicles edible oils, ghee, margarine, sugar and salt.
- To generate a brief on climate change intersections (mitigation, adaptation/resilience) relating to each of the following of GAIN’s programs: Appropriate Diets for Women and Children, and Workforce Nutrition.
- To analyse the supply chain sustainability of all constituents necessary for food fortification delivery and impact for all global regions (excluding East and West Africa), so that lowest-resource footprint options can be identified that deliver quality nutritional outcomes at price points affordable to the target populations to be reached by GAIN. This will involve attributional LCA research, including conducting surveys and collating data to allow Sankey diagrams (and mass balance Tables) to be constructed to visualise materials flows and resource footprints to be calculated by LCA. Focus on food fortification via the following food vehicles (edible oils, ghee, margarine, sugar, salt).
- To conduct research to generate evidence to support recommendations, e.g. on how GAIN could encourage premix suppliers to ship in biodegradable / recyclable bulk packs. Review current mitigation measures in place which may include recycling, training and education, policy advise, and relevant research.
- To identify and categorise how large-scale food fortification can directly and indirectly contribute to adaptation to climate change for all global regions (excluding East and West Africa), including through strengthening resilience of communities and countries to adverse nutritional effects arising from climate change.