Food Fortification Facilitators (FFFs)

Position Title :

Food Fortification Facilitators (FFFs)

Component:

Wheat Flour Fortification - WFF

Program:

Food Fortification Program - FFP

Reports to:

Provincial Program Manager - WFF

Location:

Each at: Attock, Mandi Bahauddin, Hyderabad, Mirpur Khas, Ghotki, Larkana, Peshawar.

Background/Purpose:

Pakistan has high burden of malnutrition and facing health and economic consequences due to undernutrition. The National Nutrition Survey of Pakistan (2011) found that majority of children and women of reproductive age suffer from multiple micronutrient deficiencies.  Large-scale food fortification, the addition of small amounts of vitamins and minerals to staple foods, is one of the globally recommended successful strategy to address micronutrients malnutrition.

In order to combat micronutrient malnutrition in Pakistan, a five-year program funded by UK Government’s Department for International Development (DFID) has been started for fortification of wheat flour and edible oil/ghee which gradually will cover all wheat flour and edible oil/ghee mills in Pakistan. The program is being implemented by Nutrition International (NI) and Mott MacDonald in collaboration with key government departments at National and Provincial level and with industry associations like Flour Mills Association (PFMA) and Pakistan Vanaspati Manufacturers Association (PVMA).  The program will provide support to industry to adequately fortify wheat flour and edible oil/ghee in Pakistan, the Government to improve food fortification regulatory system, awareness raising and generating evidence to formulate relevant policies to combat micronutrient deficiencies in Pakistan.  

In order to provide monitoring support to the government FFP needs to hire Food Fortification Facilitators.  

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

• Coordinate all wheat flour fortification related activities in field including meeting with key stakeholders i.e. Food Department, Food regulatory authorities, Health Department, Flour Mills Association, flour milling industry and nutrition development partners etc.
• Plan and conduct trainings/capacity building activities for wheat flour mill staff, food inspectors, laboratory staff and District Focal Person on fortification and quality assurance and quality control processes to promote sustainable and adequate fortification of wheat flour.
• In close coordination with provincial manager, assist Provincial Food Department, Food regulatory authorities, Health Department and wheat flour industries in district level planning and execution of program activities.
• Provide technical support to flour mills for installation of micro-feeders, its calibrations and setting flow rate of premix as per standards prescribed by Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority.
• Coordinate with premix distributor/s through provincial manager to ensure uninterrupted supply of micronutrient premix to the flour mills in the allocated territory, according to their requirements.
• Ensure smooth supply of Iron Spot Test Kits to flour mills and food inspectors for monitoring of fortified wheat flour at production, market and house hold level.
• Conduct regular visit of flour mills and market to ensure that adequately fortified wheat flour is produced and supplied in market.
• Collect samples of fortified wheat flour from all the flour mills on a regular basis, carry these samples to Quality Control Laboratories (QCL), ensure its testing and share feedback with flour mills and enforcement bodies for ensuring compliance.
• Ensure notification and monthly meeting of District Food Fortification Committee (DFFC).
• To record and circulate approved minutes of DFFC meetings to all stakeholders and to follow up with relevant departments to ensure that decisions taken in DFFC are implemented and reported back.
• Coordinate through provincial manager with third party laboratory for collections, dispatch of samples and administration of premix subsidy according to adequacy of fortification.
• Conduct market and household surveys to monitor availability of adequately fortified wheat flour and ensure compliance.
• Plan and undertake awareness raising activities at the district level to generate demand for the fortified wheat flour in coordination with designated organization/agency. 
• Collate information and data received from the flour mills, compile, analysis and generate monthly reports for submission to provincial office.
• Identify issues and bottlenecks related to food fortification activities in the field, report to provincial manager and take mitigation measures.
• Assist provincial and national team in implementation of research studies (if any).
• Represent FFP at various relevant forums at the district levels as request by the team.
• Perform any other duties as may be assigned by FFP’s provincial or country team.

Education/Professional Experience:

• Master degree (social sciences, anthropology, food sciences, nutrition, community development, business administration or any other related field) from recognized university with 3 - 4 years’ experience in field work and community mobilization.
• Strong understanding of local health systems/food department particularly nutrition
• Candidate having experience of working with International Development Organization in health and nutrition programs will be preferred.

Language Skills:

• Fluency in written and spoken English & Urdu is mandatory. 

Travel Requirements:

The position shall be based in the respective district. Regular travel within allocated zone/district. Monthly travel to  FFP Provincial Office

Other Specific Skills/Requirements:

• Proficient in MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Should possess excellent interpersonal communication, problem solving and writing skills.
• Women are strongly encouraged to apply.