(2023) RANFOSE Final Performance Evaluation Report
Summary — This report evaluates the performance of the RANFOSE project, a USAID-funded initiative to reduce micronutrient deficiencies in Haiti through food fortification. The evaluation assesses the project's effectiveness in improving the availability of fortified foods, stakeholder engagement, strengthening the food supply chain, and promoting sustainability. It also examines how RANFOSE adapted to political, security, and economic challenges.
Key Findings
- RANFOSE has increased the availability of fortified wheat flour and oil and contributed to improving the quality of iodized salt.
- The lack of approved application texts (regulations) is a key limitation to increasing the availability of fortified foods.
- The operating environment is highly unstable, and the availability of fortified foods is highly volatile.
- The sustainability of LSFF in Haiti cannot be guaranteed until the application texts are approved, resulting in mandatory fortification and enforcement.
- RANFOSE adapted to limited mobility due to the restrictions of the COVID - 19 pandemic or insecurity challenges.
Full Description
The RANFOSE project, launched by USAID in 2017, aimed to reduce micronutrient deficiencies in Haiti by fortifying wheat flour, vegetable oil, and salt. This final performance evaluation assesses the project's progress and provides recommendations for future activities. The evaluation examines the project's effectiveness in improving the availability of adequately fortified foods for women of reproductive age and children under five, the extent of stakeholder engagement in large-scale food fortification, the effectiveness of the implementation strategy in strengthening the fortified foods supply chain, and the project's efforts to support the sustainability of food fortification. It also analyzes how RANFOSE adapted to the political, security, and economic challenges encountered during its implementation.
Full Document Text
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This report is made possible by the support of the American People through the United States Agency for International
Development (USAID). The contents of this report are the sole responsibility of International Business Initiatives, Corp.
(IBI) and Social Impact, Inc. (SI) and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.
PHOTO CREDIT: DAVID ROCHKIND, USAID
RANFOSE FINAL PERFORMANCE
EVALUATION REPORT
HAITI EVALUATION AND SURVEY SERVICES PLUS
(ESS+)
December 2023
Task Order #72052122F00001
Under EVAL-ME II IDIQ Contract #7200AA20D00026
USAID.GOV RANFOSE FINAL PERFORMANCE EVALUATION REPORT | ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Table of Contents ..................................................................................................................... ii
Acronyms ................................................................................................................................. iii
Executive Summary ................................................................................................................ iv
Background ................................................................................................................................................... iv
Evaluation Purpose and Evaluation Questions ........................................................................................ iv
Evaluation Design, Methods, and Limitations .......................................................................................... iv
Findings and Conclusions ............................................................................................................................ v
Recommendations ...................................................................................................................................... vii
Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 1
Evaluation Purpose and Questions ......................................................................................... 2
Evaluation Purpose ...................................................................................................................................... 2
Evaluation Questions .................................................................................................................................. 2
Evaluation Methods and Limitations ...................................................................................... 4
Findings and Conclusions......................................................................................................... 6
EQ 1. Considering the activity’s theory of change, to what extent has the project been effective
in improving the availability of adequately fortified foods that are priorities for improving the
health of women of reproductive age and children under five? .......................................................... 6
EQ 2. To what extent has the activity’s stakeholder engagement and involvement been effective
in accomplishing the rollout of large-scale food fortification (LSFF)? ............................................... 12
EQ 3. To what extent has the activity’s implementation strategy been effective in strengthening
the fortified foods supply chain? .............................................................................................................. 16
EQ 4. What has the project done to support or inhibit the sustainability of food fortification? 18
EQ 5. How has RANFOSE evolved and adapted to the political, security, and economic
challenges they encountered? .................................................................................................................. 21
Recommendations ................................................................................................................. 22
Continue LSFF Support in Haiti .............................................................................................................. 22
Maintain the Food Fortification Working Group (FFWG) ................................................................. 22
Advocacy at the Highest Political Level ................................................................................................. 22
Premix Availability and Affordability of Fortification ........................................................................... 22
Strengthen Laboratory Facilities ............................................................................................................. 23
Couple Inspections for Enforcements .................................................................................................... 23
Social Audits: An Alternative for Monitoring Compliance of Fortified Foods ................................ 24
Awareness-Raising as the Key to Consumption .................................................................................. 24
Annexes ................................................................................................................................... 25
Annex I: Evaluation Timeline ................................................................................................................... 25
Annex II: Evaluation Scope of Work ...................................................................................................... 26
Annex III: Evaluation Design & Inception Report ................................................................................. 40
Annex IV: Data Collection Tools ............................................................................................................ 68
Annex V: Sources of Information ......................................................................................................... 119
Annex VI: Findings, Conclusions, Recommendations (FCR) Matrix ............................................... 122
Annex VII: Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest.................................................................................... 128
Annex VIII: Evaluation Team Members ................................................................................................ 134
Annex IX: RANFOSE Product mapping outputs ................................................................................ 136
Annex X: Summary of production data (RANFOSE partners and non-partners) ........................ 139
Annex X1: Technical Specifications Published .................................................................................... 140
Annex XII. Assessment on the laboratory capabilities to analyze fortified foods. ....................... 142
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LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Planned vs Realized KIIs, FGDs, and RIs ........................................................................................... 5
ACRONYMS
BHN Haitian Standards Bureau
COA Certificate of Analysis
CSO Civil Society Organization
CU5 Children Under Five
DCQPC Direction for Quality Control and Consumer Protection
DEC Development Experience Clearinghouse
EQ Evaluation Question
ET Evaluation Team
FAO United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization
FFWG Food Fortification Working Group
FGD Focus Group Discussion
GAIN Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition
GoH Government of Haiti
HP Health Practitioner
IO International Organization
KII Key Informant Interview
LSFF Large-Scale Food Fortification
MCI Ministry of Commerce and Industry
MoA Ministry of Agriculture
MoH Ministry of Health
MT Metric Ton
NGO Non-Governmental Organization
PaP Port-au-Prince
PNCS Programme National de Cantines Scolaires
QA Quality Assurance
QC Quality Control
RANFOSE Ranfose Abitid Nitrisyon Pou Fè Ogmante Santé
RI Rapid Interview
SI Social Impact
SOW Scope of Work
ToT Training of Trainers
UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund
USAID United States Agency for International Development
USDA United States Department of Agriculture
WFP World Food Programme
WRA Women of Reproductive Age
WTO World Trade Organization
Yr Year
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
BACKGROUND
In 2017, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) launched Ranfose Abitid
Nitisyon Pou Fè Ogmante Santé (RANFOSE)—a food fortification project—to reduce some
micronutrient deficiencies in Haiti. In collaboration with the Ministry of Health (MoH), Partner of the
Americas implemented the project and worked with importers, distributors, and local food
producers to fortify wheat flour with iron, folic acid, and other vitamins, as well as vegetable oils
with vitamin A and salt with iodine. In 2021, the project received an initial two-year extension until
June 2023 and a subsequent extension until January 2024 to allow planned activities to be
implemented with the remaining funds.
EVALUATION PURPOSE AND EVALUATION QUESTIONS
The purpose of the evaluation is to assess progress to date and provide actionable recommendations
to inform activity improvements or new approaches and opportunities. USAID, the primary user of
this evaluation, may use the results to adjust and adapt its strategy in the Nutrition and Food
Fortification program in Haiti. Secondary users include Implementing Partners, the Government of
Haiti (GoH), local stakeholders from the private sector, civil society organizations, universities, and
international organizations (IOs) in the country. This evaluation responds to the Evaluation
Questions (EQ) drafted by USAID in the Scope of Work (SOW) (Annex II), namely:
● EQ1. Considering the activity’s theory of change, to what extent has the project been
effective in improving the availability of adequately fortified foods that are priorities for
improving the health of women of reproductive age (WRA) and children under five (CU5)?
● EQ2. To what extent has the activity’s stakeholder engagement and involvement been
effective in accomplishing the rollout of large-scale food fortification (LSFF)?
● EQ3. To what extent has the activity’s implementation strategy been effective in
strengthening the fortified foods supply chain?
● EQ4. What has the project done to support or inhibit the sustainability of food fortification?
● EQ5. How has RANFOSE evolved and adapted to the political, security, and economic
challenges it encountered?
EVALUATION DESIGN, METHODS, AND LIMITATIONS
Following a desk review of available literature, the evaluation used several qualitative methods to
capture different perspectives: key informant interviews (KIIs) with stakeholders, participation in the
Food Fortification Working Group (FFWG), focus group discussions (FGDs) or individual interviews
with health practitioners (HPs), and rapid interviews (RIs) with shopkeepers, customers, and WRA.
Some data collected by the evaluation were triangulated against secondary quantitative data from
project monitoring data or other existing sources.
Data collection lasted five weeks (May 30, 2023, to June 30, 2023) instead of three as planned. FGDs
and RIs were carried out in three key departments that RANFOSE facilitated training of trainers
(ToT) with HPs, i.e., Port-au-Prince (PaP) and Petion-Ville in the Ouest department, Cap-Haitian in
the Nord department, and Jeremie in the Grande Anse department.
All KIIs were conducted remotely, reaching 55 percent of planned KIIs, therefore limiting the
number of perspectives obtained. Only reaching this percentage of planned KIIs possibly created
some bias in the results if those that refused or were unavailable did so because they held a less
favorable view of the project or had nothing to say about the project. It should be noted that a
separate USAID market analysis of fortified foods comprised conducting interviews with the same
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stakeholders at the same time as the evaluation; this may have led to respondent fatigue and may
explain the low response rate among KIIs.
Three FGDs were held instead of five, and six individual interviews were conducted in lieu of an
FGD, meaning 78 percent of planned HP were reached. Again, but to a lesser extent, only reaching
this percentage of planned HP limited the range of perspectives obtained, especially in Grand Anse
Department, where no HPs were reached. The response rate for Ris was 87 percent. The evaluation
faced several challenges, including communication problems, the unavailability of key informants, an
earthquake in Jeremie, and floods across the country, which delayed data collection.
A thematic analysis of the data was carried out using Dedoose software. While RIs provided a
snapshot of population awareness of fortified foods, it did not allow any statistically significant
inferences to be made about the population, which would have required a population-based survey
applied to a representative sample.
FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS
Below, the evaluation presents high-level findings and associated conclusions for each EQ. The
details of the evaluation findings can be found in the body of the report under the findings section. It
is important to contextualize these findings as food fortification is not yet mandatory in Haiti. While
the Food Fortification Law was passed in 2017, no application texts (regulations)—which form the
basis for the enforcement and monitoring of food fortification—have been approved yet.
EQ1. Availability. While it is beyond the scope of this evaluation to measure the market share of
fortified foods or the adequacy of fortification levels, which are best measured through market
analysis, this evaluation found that RANFOSE has increased the availability of fortified wheat flour
and oil and contributed to improving the quality of nationally iodized salt and fortified wheat flour on
the Haitian market. According to KIIs with key actors in fortification in Haiti, this increase has been
influenced by the project’s engagement with, as well as raising awareness to and providing technical
support to the private sector, together with the latter’s commitment to fortify or improve their
fortification processes, if they were fortifying already. However, the evaluation found that fortified
foods are not consistently available in all shops and markets, remote areas, or across all
departments, which is often where populations need them the most. It is not clear in what way the
project has strengthened the availability of fortified foods for women of reproductive ages and
children under five specifically.
Awareness-raising and training events targeted different stakeholders and population groups through
a variety of mass media campaigns, including WRA and CU5, through HPs and other non-
governmental organizations (NGOs) working specifically with these target groups. According to RIs
conducted, awareness exists of fortified foods and their benefits. However, RIs provided only a
snapshot of the level of awareness in specific areas, whereas a national representative survey would
more effectively measure population awareness and consumption behaviors, therefore allowing
better targeting of awareness-raising activities (format, locations, and population groups). According
to FGDs and RIs, the added cost of fortified foods is a barrier to consumption, in addition to limited
availability, mainly due to distribution problems and the internal situation in Haiti.
EQ2. Stakeholder Engagement. Both private and public sectors have contributed to advancing
large-scale food fortification through their engagement with the project. The MoH, the Ministry of
Agriculture (MoA) and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MCI) were all listed in the Food
Fortification Law as key players in its implementation. All have actively advocated for the approval of
the application texts. The MoH collaborated with RANFOSE on the advocacy and behavior change
strategy; the MCI, through the Haitian Standards Bureau (BHN), was key to reviewing the
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fortification standards with the project; and the national laboratory under the MoA was involved
from the start but has been out of operation since 2021.
The project further engaged stakeholders from industries, civil society organizations, universities,
and international and non-governmental organizations. It carried out advocacy and capacity-building
initiatives with the public and private sectors, as well as civil society actors. These activities have
maintained motivation levels and strengthened collaborations within and between the private and
public sectors to improve the legal environment. According to most stakeholders interviewed, the
lack of approved regulations is a major barrier to private sector engagement in fortification, which
subsequently limits the effective rollout of LSFF.
RANFOSE has influenced the legislative environment in the country by collaboratively reviewing and
supporting the approval standards provided by WFP for fortified foods, which are voluntary, as well
as the development of the application texts and continued advocacy for their approval to make
fortification mandatory. The three key ministries identified by the Food Fortification Law (MoH, MCI
and MoA) have independently and collaboratively advocated for its approvals, as has USAID. The
lack of approval to date is out of RANFOSE’s control, but advocacy must persist if the application
texts are to be approved and guarantee mandatory food fortification. Only then will the country
have the legal framework to implement monitoring and enforcement.
In the absence of approved regulations for fortification, which form the basis for enforcement,
alternative solutions have not been found; there is no enforcement of food fortification to date
despite the Food Fortification Law being approved in 2017. Since the MoH has been doing food
safety inspections with salt producers, the food safety inspections could be extended to food
fortification inspections, thereby strengthening enforcement.
The inaccessibility of the national laboratory, in addition to the lack of regulations, hinders the
GoH’s ability to monitor fortified foods. The equipment donated by the project to the laboratory
could not be installed and remains unutilized. Industries received testing kits from RANFOSE and are
reportedly using these to monitor fortification levels. Until the national laboratory is operational
again, other laboratories could have been strengthened to conduct sample testing to monitor quality
control (QC) of fortified foods.
EQ3. Supply Chains. Industries identified several factors that negatively impact their production
and the supply chain, such as a) the unfair competition resulting from those factories not fortifying,
who are able to make higher profits than those fortifying given the added cost of fortification;
b) smuggled products flooding the market; c) the exorbitant customs tariffs which apply to premix
and fortification equipment; and d) poor quality and limited raw material availability. Those who are
fortifying do so voluntarily because they want to contribute to the population’s health and because
they can sustain the added cost of fortification.
All project partner importers and producers reported implementing Quality Assurance (QA) and
QC procedures to control the production or importation of fortified foods, thanks to RANFOSE’s
training and technical assistance. Incentives for industries are needed to ensure that the cost of
fortification does not render fortified products too costly to produce and, therefore, unaffordable
for the population, especially for vulnerable populations in hard-to-reach areas.
EQ4. Sustainability. The sustainability of LSFF in Haiti cannot be guaranteed until the application
texts are approved, resulting in mandatory fortification and enforcement. Some strong foundations
for the implementation of LSFF have been laid by RANFOSE through the creation of multi-
stakeholder networks, which are said to be beneficial to all stakeholders involved in the FFWG.
However, LSFF takes time and requires persistence, especially in a challenging socio-political context
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such as Haiti. Many key informants report that financial and technical support from IOs to the GoH
to consolidate LSFF should continue and thereby build on the foundations that have been laid.
EQ5. RANFOSE Adaptability. The operating environment in Haiti entails a great number of
significant challenges: the deteriorating national infrastructure, widespread and severe insecurity,
national hyperinflation, and the COVID-19 pandemic are major factors that have limited the ability of
RANFOSE to deliver a full rollout of LSFF. To overcome the challenges, RANFOSE developed and
adopted alternative strategies to continue advocacy, awareness raising, stakeholder engagement, and
capacity development.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Key Priority. USAID should continue supporting LSFF in Haiti to capitalize on the achievements
made by RANFOSE and to contribute to improving the nutritional intake of a population that greatly
needs it.
Food Fortification Working Group. The FFWG should be structured through a steering
committee where sensitive matters can be discussed and solutions can be proposed. Include an
advisory committee.
Advocacy. The FFWG should advocate at the Inter-Ministerial Human Rights Committee, which is
presided over by the Prime Minister, for the approval of the application texts (regulations),
application of enforcement by GOH, and any other important matters related to fortified food that
arise in the future.
Premix and Affordability of Fortification. The FFWG should advocate to the GoH to
implement measures to facilitate imports of premix, such as tax exemptions for purchases of premix,
equipment (feeders and reagents), and supplies for i-checks used in QA/QC, and to provide
technical assistance to develop the technical criteria needed to implement these measures.
Strengthen Industry Production Process. USAID should strengthen the overall capacities of
factories in food safety and food fortification so that they can comply with potential client
requirements, such as organizations distributing fortified foods through government or other food
aid programs.
Food Fortification Cost Analysis. USAID should carry out a cost analysis of fortification in Haiti
and use that information as an advocacy tool for the food industry and GoH, showing that food
fortification’s impact on price is not as high as previously thought and that the industry can still have
revenue.
Updating the Application Texts. Based on the standards approved by BHN, the FFWG should
review the application texts to ensure that there are no contradictions between them and address
any issues identified before they are approved. E.g.: consider the addition of vitamin B12 to wheat
flour.
QC/QA Activities. While it is still ongoing, RANFOSE should analyze the data from industry
reports and present a report periodically to the FFWG to discuss results and implement actions to
improve the process. Consider praising the actions of those factories complying with the Food
Fortification Law.
Laboratory Facilities. USAID should map laboratories around the country and assess their
capacity to find an alternative laboratory to provide testing services
Enforcement. Food fortification inspections should be coupled with other inspections carried out
by the MoH, MCI, and MoA to optimize available resources. While there is improvement in
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laboratory capabilities, inspections should focus on verifying the QA/QC practices of the factories,
with an equivalent approach for imported foods.
“Social Audits.” While enforcement is being established in the country, USAID could support
consumer associations or consumer organizations to carry out “social audits”: purchasing fortified
food samples at retail stores around the country and sending them to a laboratory to determine
compliance.
Awareness-Raising Activities. USAID should continue raising awareness of fortified foods,
especially in remote and hard-to-reach areas where the population is most vulnerable to
malnutrition. Awareness raising must be coupled with the availability of fortified foods.
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INTRODUCTION
In 2017, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) launched Ranfose Abitid
Nitrisyon Pou Fè Ogmante Santé (RANFOSE)—a food fortification project—to reduce some
micronutrient deficiencies in Haiti. In collaboration with the Ministry of Health (MoH), Partner of the
Americas implemented the project and worked with importers, distributors, and local food
producers to fortify wheat flour with iron, folic acid and other vitamins, as well as vegetable oils with
vitamin A and salt with iodine.
RANFOSE also supported the implementation of food fortification legislation by providing technical
assistance to the Government of Haiti (GoH) to create a legislative and regulatory environment
supporting the production and importation of fortified foods. In 2021, the project received a two-
year extension to January 2024.
The project aimed to contribute to long-term health and economic benefits for the Haitian people,
including the decreased prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies and related micronutrient deficiency
disorders (e.g., anemia), increased nutritional resilience against future food security shocks,
decreased morbidity and mortality via improved disease immunity, and increased economic
productivity and growth. In addition, the project was to ensure that strong channels of
communication and participation among the public sector, private sector, and civil society remain
open in support of the nutrition strategy and its operationalization. Lastly, RANFOSE aimed to
strengthen the national strategy for fortification and improve quality control (QC) for locally
sourced or imported fortified food products.
RANFOSE aligned with both a) the Plan Stratégique de Nutrition 2013-2018 of the GoH’s MoH, which
focuses on the prevention of malnutrition, and b) USAID’s Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Strategy (2014–
2025), which seeks to decrease chronic malnutrition through the increased availability of and access
to high-quality nutrition-specific services and commodities, increased political will and resources for
nutrition programs, and strengthened engagement with the private sector to improve nutrition.
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EVALUATION PURPOSE AND QUESTIONS
EVALUATION PURPOSE
The main purpose of this evaluation is to assess progress to date and provide actionable
recommendations to inform activity improvements or new approaches and opportunities. As the
primary user of this evaluation, USAID may use the results to adjust and adapt its implementation
strategy in Nutrition and Food Fortification in Haiti. Secondary users include the Implementing
Partners, GoH, MoH, and local stakeholders such as producers, importers, sellers in markets,
consumers, as well as local universities, and major international organizations (IOs), such as UNICEF
(United Nations Children’s Fund), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Food
Programme (WFP), and Iodine Global Network.
EVALUATION QUESTIONS
This performance evaluation aims to answer the evaluation questions (EQs) drafted by USAID (see
Annex II). For each EQ, USAID has requested that the Evaluation Team (ET) consider the project
performance in relation to specific aspects. These are as follows:
EQ1. Considering the activity’s theory of change, to what extent has the project been
effective in improving the availability of adequately fortified foods that are priorities for
improving the health of women of reproductive age (WRA) and children under five
(CU5)?
a. Identify specific areas in which RANFOSE’s input has improved the availability of fortified
foods, particularly for WRA and CU5.
b. Consider key factors that facilitate or inhibit the availability of fortified foods, particularly
among WRA and CU5.
c. Highlight the relevancy and effect of the advocacy campaigns with consumers and the factors
affecting consumers’ awareness and consumption of fortified foods.
EQ2. To what extent has the activity’s stakeholder engagement and involvement been
effective in accomplishing the rollout of large-scale food fortification?
a. Identify where RANFOSE’s engagement with leadership in different areas (e.g., private
sector; GoH) has proven to be instrumental in improving availability.
b. Assess the project’s accomplishments and influence on the local Food Fortification Alliance,
the national standards, and legislative environment about fortified foods. For instance,
consider the performance of the GoH in the areas of: 1) regulation; 2) enforcement (at
factories, importation sites, and markets); and 3) the monitoring of fortified samples.
c. Determine what—if anything—were the limiting factors or what RANFOSE could have done
better to support the development and implementation of the national standards.
EQ3. To what extent has the activity’s implementation strategy been effective in
strengthening the fortified foods supply chain?
a. Consider what factors and activities affected food fortification production and value/supply
chain stakeholders (production centers, importers, distributors, markets and retailers,
regulatory agencies, etc.).
b. Capture business performance and practices as well as price and perceived affordability of
fortified wheat flour and edible oil/ghee, how the project influences the premix and micro
feeder market, and the technical challenges and lessons learned in strengthening the
fortification compliance of the current food fortification programs (wheat flour, oil, and
salt—including use of iodized salt in bouillon cubes).
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EQ4. What has the project done to support or inhibit the sustainability of food
fortification?
a. Identify nutrition-related barriers and opportunities for sustainability.
b. Consider synergy with other USAID projects, factors affecting public and private sector
engagement, the regulatory and socio-political environment, and other factors that are likely
to support or inhibit the sustainability of food fortification. Consider if there were
opportunities and stakeholders that RANFOSE had hoped to use that did not materialize,
and document why they were not possible.
c. Explore emerging opportunities and alternative options for monitoring compliance of food
fortification beyond reliance on the GoH.
EQ5. How has RANFOSE evolved and adapted to the political, security, and economic
challenges it encountered?
a. Explore how the environment has affected the project’s ability to deliver from when it was
awarded to what it is doing now. Document the lessons learned to avoid reinventing the wheel
in the future.
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EVALUATION METHODS AND LIMITATIONS
The evaluation adopts Social Impact’s (SI) Evaluation, Quality, Understanding and Impact (EQUI)
approach, ensuring quality checks are applied at each stage of the evaluation process. Based on the
nature of the evaluation objectives and following the desk review, the ET chose a qualitative
approach to data collection, to be triangulated against secondary data from project monitoring data
or other existing sources, where possible. Please refer to Annex I for the evaluation timeline,
Annex III for the Evaluation Design and Inception Report—including full details of the evaluation
design and ethical clearances obtained—and Annex IV for the full list of data collection tools used.
Methods. The ET used various methods to capture different perspectives: Key Informant Interviews
(KIIs) with stakeholders, Food Group Discussions (FGDs) or individual interviews when FGDs were
not possible with Health Practitioners (HPs), Rapid Interviews (RIs) with shop owners and managers,
customers and WRA, as well as an observation of and participation in a Food Fortification Working
Group (FFWG) meeting—instead of holding a planned FGD with FFWG members. The sampling
was purposeful, with locations selected based on the departments in which the project facilitated the
training of trainers (ToT) to HPs to disseminate the benefits of fortified foods among their
colleagues and the wider population. The three selected departments were the Ouest (Port-au-
Prince [PaP] and Petion-Ville), Nord (Cap-Haitian) and Grande Anse (Jeremie) departments.
Data Collection. , an ESS+ subcontractor, and the ET collectively carried out data
collection. organized a five-day training for enumerators and the supervisor
(May 24 to 29, 2023), including a day of piloting, and carried out field visits for RIs and FGDs, which
started immediately after the training and continued for two weeks. then began outreach
and scheduling for KIIs. Data collection ended on June 30, 2023, having lasted five weeks instead of
three as planned.
teams conducted FGDs and individual interviews and RIs in person in the three departments
and carried out both remote and face-to-face KIIs. In Grand Anse, the few HPs that were reachable
(six) were not available to attend an FGD; therefore, remote individual interviews were carried out
with those who were available. All FGDs and RIs were carried out face-to-face either in health
centers (FGD and RIs with WRA) or in shops (RIs with shopkeepers and customers), except one
FGD in the Ouest, which took place in a private space as the sampled health center did not
authorize the evaluation to conduct activities on the premises. In the Nord, HPs were either not
reachable or unwilling to participate, meaning no HP was interviewed in the Nord.
The ET carried out remote KIIs, with the assistance of two note-takers from ESS+ and performed
data quality checks on the data collected by . The ET checked both the original transcripts
(French or Kreyòl) and the English translated versions provided by , in addition to translating
their own KII transcripts.
Data Analysis. A thematic analysis of the data was done in Dedoose software, using a hybrid
approach of both deductive and inductive methods for coding the data. Before analysis, a codebook
was prepared based on the EQs. During analysis, new codes were generated as required. The coded
data was extracted from Dedoose and analyzed to allow themes and sub-themes pertinent to each
EQ to emerge. Interactions between themes and sub-themes were analyzed to produce findings.
Several analytical working sessions were held by the ET to triangulate the findings, draw conclusions,
and produce recommendations. Data was disaggregated by department and respondent type
wherever it was helpful to do so.
Limitations. The political insecurity in Haiti limited the team’s mobility and geographic reach during
data collection. Moreover, during the initial weeks of data collection, an earthquake in Jeremie and
severe floods in Haiti (start of June) delayed teams from collecting RI and FGD data, given health
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FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS
EQ 1. CONSIDERING THE ACTIVITY’S THEORY OF CHANGE, TO WHAT
EXTENT HAS THE PROJECT BEEN EFFECTIVE IN IMPROVING THE
AVAILABILITY OF ADEQUATELY FORTIFIED FOODS THAT ARE PRIORITIES FOR
IMPROVING THE HEALTH OF WOMEN OF REPRODUCTIVE AGE AND
CHILDREN UNDER FIVE?
PROJECT EFFECTIVENESS IN IMPROVING THE AVAILABILITY OF FORTIFIED FOODS
The evaluation finds that RANFOSE has been effective in improving the availability of fortified foods
in Haiti. One of the first initiatives undertaken by the project was the mapping of fortified products
and associated stakeholders in 2018 and again in 2022; this initiative enabled the identification of
a) industries already engaged in food fortification; b) the fortified products available on the market;
and c) potential industries to approach to join food fortification efforts (see Annex IX for the
RANFOSE mapping outputs). The project advocated the importance of food fortification to these
industries and obtained the commitment of some industries that were already fortifying to
strengthen their fortification practices (wheat flour [two] and salt [one]) as well as recruiting new
industries and importers to begin fortifying (e.g., oil [two], importer [one] and wheat flour [one]).
Later in 2018, the project supported partner industries with site visits and observations of the
factories’ fortification capacities to provide technical recommendations for reaching adequate
fortification levels. While providing this technical support to industries, the project collaboratively
reviewed the fortification standards (see Annex XI for the final version of the technical
specifications) with the Haitian Standards Bureau (BHN) and industries to ensure the adequacy of
fortification. Producers also received rapid test kits to verify the adequacy of vitamin A levels in oil
and iron levels in wheat flour.
AVAILABILITY OF FORTIFIED WHEAT FLOUR, OIL, AND SALT
It is beyond the scope of this evaluation to assess the availability of fortified foods on the market.
However, according to the data collected by this evaluation, by 2020, the project had partnered with
three wheat flour mills, three oil bottlers, and one salt producer to fortify to recommended levels.
Wheat Flour
One of the three wheat mill partners unfortunately ceased operations following a violent attack in
October 2022, consequently reducing the availability of fortified wheat flour on the market.
According to secondary data, there is a wheat mill that recently began fortifying and produces
approximately 30,000 metric tons per year (MT/Yr). However, the evaluation has no information on
the specifications used.
Collectively, the two remaining wheat mills that partnered with RANFOSE produce 95,000 MT/Yr of
fortified wheat flour (equivalent to 129,960 MT/Yr of wheat).
1 The quantity of fortified wheat flour
produced by these two factories alone represents nearly one-third of the total wheat flour and
wheat products obtained from imported wheat grain into Haiti (405,000 MT/Yr).
2,3 Wheat flour and
wheat products (including pasta and other wheat products) are imported from the
Dominican Republic and other countries (Turkey, Peru, Egypt, Argentina, European Union).
4 It is
1
Considering wheat grain imports were around 210,000MT, the flour yield from wheat grain being about 70-75%,
therefore, that amount of wheat would yield 152,250 MT of wheat flour.
2
USDA & GAIN “Grain And Feed Annual”, Haiti 2022, https://www.fas.usda.gov/data/haiti-grain-and-feed-annual-4
3
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Food Balance Sheets (2010- ). https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/FBS/report
4
USDA & GAIN “Grain And Feed Annual”, Haiti 2022, https://www.fas.usda.gov/data/haiti-grain-and-feed-annual-4
USAID.GOV RANFOSE FINAL PERFORMANCE EVALUATION REPORT | 7
estimated that illegal imports of wheat flour and wheat products comprise between 100,000 to
120,000 MT/Yr.
5
Oil
Haiti imports 100 percent of the vegetable oil on the market. Palm is the most widely consumed oil
(about 80 percent) followed by soybean oil (13 percent).
6 It is mainly imported from Indonesia and
Malaysia, with some from the Dominican Republic.
7 There was no locally fortified palm oil before
RANFOSE began; the project approached and obtained the engagement of two oil bottlers to start
fortifying the oil they bottle and one importer to import fortified oil. It is not clear what share of the
market is held by illegally imported oil, which reportedly remains the biggest competitor to fortified
oil. Thanks to the increased availability of fortified oil on the Haitian market, WFP now reports being
able to source fortified oil and wheat flour locally for their school feeding programs, which they
couldn’t before RANFOSE.
Salt
The only salt producer to iodize salt in the country has a market share of 3 to 5 percent, produces
2,500 MT/Yr of salt, and supplies both industries and the retail market. RANFOSE worked with this
producer to improve the iodization process, thereby improving the adequacy of fortified salt for the
Haitian market. Despite this low reported market share, according to the population and HPs
interviewed, salt is the most readily available fortified food, possibly resulting from the technical
support brought by UNICEF to salt iodization over the years.
Based on documents reviewed, either from RANFOSE or international reports,
2,8 as well as data
collected by the evaluation, information about the coverage of fortified wheat flour, oil, and salt in
the country is sometimes contradictory and is not based on actual data from sampling and chemical
analysis of products. However, most respondents report that availability is restricted to select shops
in urban areas, with limited or no availability in markets, rural areas, and departments with low
accessibility.
Even though RANFOSE is a policy project and therefore not directly targeting specific areas or
population groups, the ET found that the project has made concerted efforts to raise awareness
among WRA and mothers of CU5 (vulnerable groups targeted through the Nutrition Strategic Plan
for Haiti)
9 on the benefits of fortified foods by training HPs and partnering with civil society
organizations (CSO) and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) that work directly with these
target groups.
AVAILABILITY OF OTHER FORTIFIED FOODS
Although the law on food fortification is limited to specific products, there are other fortified
products on the market, such as butter, margarine, mamba, peanut butter, and cereals. However, it
is not clear what specifications are being used in these products. Moreover, according to both public
and private sector actors, the widespread benefits of fortification could be strengthened by fortifying
other products on the market, such as rice, pasta, and maize, which are widely consumed by the
Haitian population.
5
USDA & GAIN “Grain And Feed Annual”, Haiti 2023, https://www.fas.usda.gov/data/haiti-grain-and-feed-annual-4
6
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Food Balance Sheets (2010- ). https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/FBS/report
7
Malaysian Palm Oil Council. https://mpoc.org.my/palm-oil-market-chain-in-haiti/
8
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Food Balance Sheets (2010- ). https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/FBS/report
9
Ministère de la Santé Publique et de la Population.Unité de Coordination de Programme National D’alimentation et de
Nutrition UCPNANU. Plan Stratégique de Nutrition 2013-2018. 2013.
8 | RANFOSE FINAL PERFORMANCE EVALUATION REPORT USAID.GOV
FACTORS THAT FACILITATE OR INHIBIT THE AVAILABILITY OF FORTIFIED FOODS
Among the key factors facilitating the availability of food fortification in Haiti are the motivation of
industries to fortify foods and the demand for these products, with the latter increasing as
awareness of the benefits of fortified foods grows, according to a variety of respondents. However,
these two aspects alone are stalled by difficulties associated with the availability of raw materials, the
legislative and operational environment, economic instabilities, and product identification, all of
which hamper the availability of fortified foods. KIIs collectively suggested the following key factors
inhibit the availability of fortified foods.
“The micronutrients have to be cleared at exorbitant prices. They sometimes impose slips with false
amounts on us and we cannot rectify it, we just have to give in. These factors push me to sell our
products at a price that allows me to stay in the market and be able to order more products.” – KII
Industry
“Sometimes we spend six months without reaching some areas because of insecurity.” – KII Industry
Raw Materials
The private sector has the will to fortify foods but is discouraged by the high customs tariffs that
sometimes apply to premix imports into Haiti, which are not standardized. On the other hand, the
Food Fortification Law states that the GoH will subsidize the premix,
10 but this has not been
implemented yet. Haiti does not produce wheat or oil but relies on imports to satisfy domestic
demand
11 and, therefore, suffers the associated customs tariffs. With the additional cost of the
premix and equipment related to fortification, which are also imported, production prices go up
even further.
Legislative Environment
The evaluation finds that the lack of approved application texts is a key limitation to increasing the
availability of fortified foods, as well as to ensuring the compliance of the ones already being fortified.
It inhibits oil producers that are still not engaged from fortifying and discourages wheat flour
producers from continuing to do so. Some industries refuse to fortify because of the absence of the
application texts, while others refuse or are discouraged from continuing fortifying because there are
non-compliant, sometimes illegal wheat flour and oil products entering Haiti that are more
competitive. Controls and enforcement are lacking, making fortification unattractive to some
industries.
Operating Environment
The operating environment is highly unstable, and the availability of fortified foods is highly volatile.
Insecurity, bad roads, fuel scarcities, corruption, and COVID-19 hinder the production and
distribution of fortified foods. At the production level, it creates irregularities in raw material supply,
inhibiting the constant availability of fortified foods. At the distribution level, areas like Plateau
Central and Bas Artibonite, where gangs operate, have difficulties receiving supplies. Some
companies interviewed distribute fortified foods to St. Mark’s via boats. This situation inhibits the
availability of fortified foods for the population outside the metropolitan area or in remote areas.
10
Food Fortification Law. 2017. Le Moniteur. Journal Officiel de la Republique D'Haiti. 172 Année. Special No.
6
11
USDA & GAIN “Grain and Feed Annual” Haiti 2022, https://www.fas.usda.gov/data/haiti-grain-and-feed-
annual-4
USAID.GOV RANFOSE FINAL PERFORMANCE EVALUATION REPORT | 9
"Tariffs reach 40–45 percent of Cost, Insurance, and Freight (CIFs). In the end, it's the consumer who pays.
Given living conditions, if this continues, I may stop fortifying." – FFWG
Economic Pressures
Food fortification incurs a cost that affects a) producers, who can’t always afford the raw materials
and equipment for fortification; b) importers, for whom customs tariffs are high; and c) consumers,
who can’t afford fortified foods, especially in a context of inflation.
Lack of Entry Barriers
According to KII respondents, smuggled imports (fortified and unfortified) compete with fortified
foods as they are often cheaper but reportedly not adequately fortified or pose food safety issues.
Smuggling cases are common in Bas Artibonite, Plateau centrale, Nord, and near the border. In the
North, according to respondents, some smuggled oil is said to be made from recycled oil and not
fortified, and some wheat flour is said to be expired, both of which come from the Dominican
Republic. Unfortunately, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) expects that in the
short- and medium-term, illegal trade of wheat products across the Haiti–Dominican Republic
border will continue.
12
Identification
KII and FGD respondents agree that a logo is needed for consumers to identify fortified products, as
stated in the 2017 Haiti Food Fortification Law. Currently, the population must read labels—
requiring literacy—or recognize the fortified brands. While most stakeholders believe the logo to be
a very good initiative as it will allow easy identification of fortified foods and serve as a quality
certification, some producers worry about the added cost of adding a label to their packaging. To
date, a logo has been developed and agreed collaboratively with GoH and industries and is with the
MoH, waiting for the approval of the application texts.
RELEVANCE AND EFFECTIVENESS OF THE ADVOCACY CAMPAIGNS
The project developed an advocacy strategy and behavior change activities in collaboration with the
MoH’s National Nutrition Program. However, campaign effectiveness would be best measured
through a representative survey at the population level.
Awareness-raising activities included:
● Fairs and events to celebrate World Health Day, Vitamin A Day, Agriculture and Labor Day
Fair, and others.
● Training and events to promote fortified foods to industries, universities, schools (via the
Programme National de Cantines Scolaires [PNCS]), and local authorities.
● Training on iodized salt to over 400 street vendors to promote iodized salt use in cooking.
● ToT to over 200 HPs (nurses and health agents) with USAID Health program.
● Communication materials developed collaboratively with the Directorate of Health
Promotion and Environmental Protection.
● Hiring of a Communication firm to manage the communication campaign.
● The launching of mass media campaigns with local and national coverage through television
adverts and radio spots at peak viewing times, posters and brochures, Facebook, Instagram,
and online platforms that disseminate the benefits of fortified foods for pregnant and
lactating women, children, and youth.
● Interviews with project representatives on local PaP radio and television to talk about the
benefits of fortified foods.
● The publishing of various press and academic articles on fortified foods.
12
USDA & GAIN “Grain and Feed Annual” Haiti 2022, https://www.fas.usda.gov/data/haiti-grain-and-feed-annual-4
10 | RANFOSE FINAL PERFORMANCE EVALUATION REPORT USAID.GOV
● The launch of a radio jingle contest with the National Nutrition Program with sponsorship
from three industry partners.
While the project aimed to equip the HPs to replicate the training, they were not provided with
sufficient knowledge, tools, resources, or the authorizations required to do so, thereby reducing
their effectiveness. HPs say that training sessions should have lasted longer and that they should have
been equipped with material and financial support to facilitate further dissemination. Moreover, they
were not provided with any instruction or authorization from their internal structures to replicate
the training, suggesting that the project did not coordinate the activity with the health structures. All
HPs interviewed report promoting fortified foods to colleagues and community members, including
WRA, in the scope of their work but only a few replicated the training to colleagues, as planned by
the project.
In addition to RANFOSE’s awareness-raising activities, the promotion of fortified foods is being done
by the MoH and health centers, UNICEF, NGOs, and mothers clubs led by HPs that reach WRA and
women with CU5. RANFOSE engaged with many of these organizations, many of whom participated
in the FFWG.
RI respondents report having heard about fortified foods from a variety of sources: schools,
hospitals, radio (most common) and television, churches, posters, women’s groups, friends, and
word of mouth (less commonly reported). RANFOSE targeted schools through its collaboration
with the National School Feeding Program (PNCS). According to respondents, RANFOSE was the
only project to launch a radio and TV campaign on fortified foods. Radio is reportedly more effective
than television. Fairs and promotion events are considered highly effective and have led to increased
sales, according to industries. The Facebook and Instagram pages, which have over 5,000 followers,
received low reactions to posts. KII respondents report that Facebook is a good medium for
reaching young people and urban populations, although there is no evidence to suggest that
RANFOSE reached either of these population groups specifically.
Campaigns are not likely to have reached rural and remote areas, according to respondents, and
some HPs had concerns about the format of the media campaign, saying the television and radio
campaigns were too short, used the wrong platforms, or were not "catchy" enough. Only a few
industries reported an increase in sales but did not quantify the increase.
FACTORS THAT AFFECT CONSUMER AWARENESS AND CONSUMPTION OF FORTIFIED
FOODS
Awareness
RIs with customers, shopkeepers, and WRA show that awareness levels are higher in Grand Anse
and higher among WRA—who seek care in hospital during pregnancy—except in Ouest where
awareness levels are generally low across all the sampled population. Those who report knowing
about fortified foods could also list their benefits, which confirms their knowledge goes beyond only
having heard the term and suggests there is awareness of the benefits of fortified foods. Given that
only RANFOSE promoted fortified foods through radios and schools, it appears awareness raising
has been effective through these media, whereas awareness obtained from hospitals could have
resulted from other interventions rather than RANFOSE’s ToT activity.
Most RI respondents said they have no concerns about fortified foods. Among those who did
express a concern, the main issues were cost, the fact that the oil curdles, that iodized salt tastes
too salty, and that the foods might lose their beneficial properties if not stored properly. Such
"RANFOSE has contributed, educated and trained local consumers and manufacturers. But it's unfinished
business." – KII Industry
USAID.GOV RANFOSE FINAL PERFORMANCE EVALUATION REPORT | 11
concerns can mostly be overcome through better information dissemination on specific issues. Key
informants emphasize the need for increased awareness raising at the community level to drive
demand and, therefore, production.
Consumption
There are no reliable figures on fortified food consumption levels in the population. One key factor
that prevents the population from consuming fortified foods is a lack of awareness. According to
FGD and KII respondents, given that the Haitian markets are filled with smuggled or illegal products
(fortified and unfortified), awareness becomes key to influencing the population to choose fortified
products over unfortified ones. When awareness exists, the biggest hurdle to consumption is cost,
followed by irregular supply and scarce availability of fortified foods on the market, especially in rural
areas.
According to KII and FGD respondents, the availability and consumption of smuggled products are
still common, primarily because of their cheaper price, regardless of fortification levels and quality
(e.g., recycled oil or expired wheat flour). The existence of cheaper products on the market is a
barrier to the consumption of fortified foods. Salt seems to be the most cited fortified food
purchased by respondents in the population, either locally produced fortified salt or imported
fortified salt, although many also listed buying wheat flour and oil.
CONCLUSION
Thanks to the advocacy and the technical support provided, and despite challenges such as the lack
of raw materials, the legislative and operational environment, and economic instability, RANFOSE
has improved the availability of fortified wheat flour and oil nationally by increasing the number of
producers and importers fortifying in the country and by building capacities to fortify adequately.
Although fortified salt was already on the market before RANFOSE, the project improved the
adequacy of fortified salt through technical support to the only salt factory fortifying but did not
extend salt iodization to other factories. Given the additional effort and cost of fortifying for the
private sector, obtaining the commitment of industries to fortify despite the lack of regulations is a
significant achievement in improving the availability of fortified foods.
Despite clear improvements in the availability of fortified foods, in the absence of a national market
analysis, the ET could not provide a reliable estimate of the availability or adequacy of fortified
products in the Haitian market. Efforts remain to be made to improve the availability, and therefore
consumption, of fortified foods nationally, especially in markets, in rural areas, and in departments
with low availability, particularly given that these are areas that comprise high proportions of
vulnerable populations who are most in need of the health benefits brought by fortified foods.
The evaluation finds that the ToT of HPs was a good strategy for raising awareness in the
population, especially in WRA and mothers of CU5, but it was not sufficiently supported to reach its
intended potential. Better collaboration with health structures and more support and follow-up from
RANFOSE would have undoubtedly increased ToT effectiveness significantly. It is not clear what the
mass media campaign’s overall reach was, but from the small and unrepresentative RI sample, radio
appears to be the most effective media, and hospitals and schools the most effective locations.
Furthermore, it is said by diverse KII and FGD respondents that a logo would not only ease product
identification for consumers but would also represent a quality seal for producers that are fortifying
adequately. A logo could, therefore, promote consumption for the population that will a) easily find
the product and b) have confidence in its quality.
[... middle sections omitted for long document ...]
139 | RANFOSE FINAL PERFORMANCE EVALUATION REPORT USAID.GOV
ANNEX X: SUMMARY OF PRODUCTION DATA (RANFOSE PARTNERS AND
NON-PARTNERS)
Food product Production (2022)
Wheat flour (3 wheat mills) 95,000 MT/year (129,960
MT/year of wheat)
Oil and derivatives (3 oil
producers/importers)
124,000 MT/year
Salt (1 salt fortification factory) 2000-2500 MT/year
140 | RANFOSE FINAL PERFORMANCE EVALUATION REPORT USAID.GOV
ANNEX X1: TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS PUBLISHED
The nutrient content in fortified foods included in the specifications is presented below. These
specifications were used as reference to develop the wheat flour and table salt standards approved
by BHN.
Table X. Summary of the nutrient fortification levels established in the specifications.
Food Nutrient Chemical form Nutrient content
Salt Iodine Potassium iodate 40 ± 10 mg/kg (33.7
to 67.5)
Oil Vitamin A Not specified 50,000 UI/kg
Wheat flour Iron
Zinc
Thiamin
Riboflavin
Niacin
Folate
Sodium iron EDTA
Zinc oxide
Thiamin mononitrate
Riboflavin
Nicotinamide
Folic acid
30 mg/kg
60 mg/kg
5.4 mg/kg
3.6 mg/kg
40 mg/kg
1.5 mg/kg
An analysis of the technical specifications adapted by RANFOSE to fortify wheat flour and palm oil is
presented below.
Technical specifications for iodized salt:
●Iodine units are ppm/kg. The correct expression is mg/kg or only ppm.
●In section 4.1 the iodine content required in salt is expressed as iodate, not iodine. The
tolerance interval indicated (± 10) is not coherent with the limits indicated in section 7,
expressed as iodine (33.7 to 66.5)
●Review of appropriate expression of required content is needed prior approval of the regulation
(technical texts).
[1] The list of potassium iodate in the specification does not include the actual
suppliers of this compound listed in GAIN’s premix facility website.
[2]
Technical specifications for the manufacture of fortified refined bleached deodorized -
palm olein-.
●Vitamin A content indicated (50000UI/kg oil) but the chemical source for vitamin A is not
indicated.
●It is not clear if retinyl palmitate will be used or other.
●There is not a tolerance interval for vitamin A which is important to include for
enforcement purposes, especially considering the decrease of vitamin A during shelf life due
to environment and packaging effects.
[3]
Technical specifications for the manufacture of wheat flour.
●A link to a list of certified suppliers is included.
●It indicates that a certificate of analysis must be included along with the premix purchase.
●Storage instructions for premix are included. The same information should be included in
the other specifications since the same QA principles apply.
●Table 1 (Section 4.2.1) describes the vitamin and minerals content in flour, as well as the
chemical form. A “permitted variation” value is indicated, but no interval is included. A
141 | RANFOSE FINAL PERFORMANCE EVALUATION REPORT USAID.GOV
GAIN Mission recommended addition of vitamin B12
[4] but it was not included in the
formulation as part of the adaptation of the specifications by RANFOSE.
[1]Technical Specifications for iodized salt. Partners of the Americas-GAIN.
[2]Gain’s premix facility website.
[3]Technical specifications for the manufacture of fortified refined bleached deodorized -palm olein-.
Partners of the Americas-GAIN.
[4]Mansour M. Mission GAIN en Haïti Visite au projet RANFÒSE 4 – 13 Avril, 2018. 54 p.
142 | RANFOSE FINAL PERFORMANCE EVALUATION REPORT USAID.GOV
ANNEX XII. ASSESSMENT ON THE LABORATORY CAPABILITIES TO ANALYZE
FORTIFIED FOODS.
On March, 2018 an evaluation on the laboratory capabilities of the Tamarinier Laboratory was
carried out by the implementing partner. The report
22 presented several recommendations, but it
was not specific about the equipment that the laboratory had at the time of the assessment that
could be used to implement test to determine specific nutrients added to fortified foods in Haiti. It
recommended to supply equipment to implement mycotoxins tests and reagents and supplies to
carry out heavy metals tests, in addition to training the personnel on tests for fortified foods.
The laboratory received a High-Performance Liquid Chromatographer (HPLC) to determine vitamin
A in oil, but it has not been possible to install it due to the current situation in Haiti and the
laboratory is currently closed. The HPLC is a sophisticated equipment that would allow the
laboratory to determine vitamin A accurately for monitoring purposes provided that it is operated
under proper laboratory environment conditions (temperature, relative humidity, electric
installation), reagents are supplied and resources for annual maintenance are allocated to guarantee
proper functioning.
Since it is uncertain when the Tamarinier laboratory will restart activities, it is recommended to
identify other laboratories that have the capability to implement the test for fortified foods. In
addition to common glassware used in physicochemical tests, specific capabilities are described
below:
1. Iodine in salt.
The test to determine iodine is simple and only requires an analytical balance and a burette, in
addition to other common glassware used in the laboratory.
2. Iron in wheat flour
Any laboratory equipped with an analytical balance, furnance, fume hood and a UV/VIS
spectrophotometer can implement the colorimetric test for iron. If the laboratory already has an
Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (AAS), it can implement both the iron and zinc tests, considering
that the specifications require fortification with zinc. However, the tests using AAS are more
expensive than the colorimetric test for iron and it is only recommended if zinc is being added.
3. Vitamin A in oil
Vitamin A testing with HPLC in oil is accurate, but more expensive than other options, as well as
time consuming. Any laboratory with a UV spectrophotometer could implement the "Quantitative
Spectrophotometer Method to Determine Vitamin A in Oil" described in the ECSA Manuals
23. The
disadvantage of this option is that an irradiation chamber should be built to carry out the test and
standardize the irradiation conditions to obtain accurate results, but the costs are cheaper than with
HPLC.
The other option is to carry out vitamin A tests using the I-Check, which the project has already
provided to the oil bottlers. Quantitative results would be obtained also, no purchase of
sophisticated equipment would be required and it does not need additional equipment in a
laboratory, except for basic glassware and chemical waste management. It is recommended to
identify a laboratory willing to implement the test and analyze the samples they receive.
22 Partners of the Americas/GAIN. Rapport d’évaluation du Laboratoire de Vétérinaire et de Contrôle de
Qualité des Aliments de Tamarinier (LVCQAT) Mars 2018
23
East, Central and Southern African Health Community. Manual of Laboratory Methods for Fortified
Foods (vitamin A, riboflavin, iron and iodine). PART II Determination of vitamin A in sugar and oil.
143 | RANFOSE FINAL PERFORMANCE EVALUATION REPORT USAID.GOV
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