Japanese food giant plans to nourish 200,000 infants in Ghana with ‘Koko Plus’ programme

Ajinomoto, a food giant in Japan has announced plans to expand its pilot nutritional supplement programme in Ghana to reach 200,000 children by 2017.

The company which is executing the programme with Boston-based Nevin Scrimshaw International Nutrition Foundation and the University of Ghana said it aims to increase the nutritional well-being of children during the weaning period by providing a supplement named “KoKo Plus”.

Ajinomoto’s supplement is expected to fortify the traditional porridge in Ghana alsocalled “koko”.

“It will improve the nutritional outcomes of an estimated 200,000 children aged 6-24 months by 2017,” Ajinomoto said September 12, 2013.

Officials say the “KoKo Plus” will be distributed through various community-based networks and 2,000 locally recruited sales women.

“We are pleased to expand our commitment and our programs in Ghana to help nourish and build the capacity of Ghana’s child and mother population, who should be leading healthy and productive lives,” said Masatoshi Ito, President and CEO of Ajinomoto.

Meanwhile the company has joined the Business Call to Action (BCtA) programme which is a public-private sector initiative hosted at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in an effort to improve the nutrition of mothers and children in Ghana.

The BCtA is a global initiative that supports companies in the creation of innovative business models that achieve both commercial success and sustainable development.

Ajinomoto is the first company in Japan’s food products industry to join the BCtA.

By Ekow Quandzie