This manual aims at raising awareness and commitment of governments, program staff and individuals to take sometimes simple and sometimes complex actions to reverse a destructive fate: micronutrient deficiencies and their negative consequences. It is the product of a joint effort of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI) to fill a gap in the international arena.
We wish to thank all who contributed to the preparation of this manual. These dedicated professionals are partners in an endeavour that goes beyond this publication to the day when people will have access to a sufficient quantity of nutritious and appropriate foods so that they can live healthy, active and productive lives.
We particularly wish to express our gratitude to Dr. Ted Greiner, Dr. Venkatesh Mannar and Ms. Peggy Parlato, who helped prepare the original document. Special recognition goes to Dr. Greiner for his commitment throughout the development of this document.
We also wish to thank the following experts from Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and Latin America who contributed directly to the refinement of the manual by their active participation in regional meetings to review the draft text: Timiebi Agari, George Attig, R. Ayoade, Franck Boccas, Visith Chavasit, Omar Dary, John Gay, Curtis McIntosh, D. Mwandu, J. Muderwha, Biplab Nandi, Juan Navia, Ruth Oniang'o, R. Quang, Fabian Recalde, William Simmons, Dinesh Sinha, Suttilak Smitasiri, Hardono Tedjokoesoemo, P. Temalilwa, Yogesh Vaidya, Tomas Walter, Emorn Wasantwisut, Pattanee Winichagoon, and Nelly Zavaleta.
Our gratitude also extends to the following institutions for their comments and suggestions: the United Nations Administrative Committee on Coordination/ Sub Committee on Nutrition, Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Technische Zusammenarbeit, International Council for the Control of Iodine Deficiency Disorders, International Fund for Agricultural Development, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Swedish International Development Agency, United Nations Development Programme, UNESCO, United Nations High Commission for Refugees, UNICEF, United Nations University, World Food Programme, World Health Organization, and World Bank.
We also thank all who have contributed to this document with their comments, inputs and suggestions, and we are especially grateful to Ms. Patricia Behlen-Dexter. Special mention goes to Dr. Pierre Baron, Mr. William Clay and Dr. Franz Simmersbach of FAO for their contributions.
Our warmest gratitude goes to Dr. Maxime Buyckx, formerly of FAO, and Dr. Suzanne Harris of ILSI for their constant and relentless commitment and dedication to making this manual on food-based approaches to solve micronutrient malnutrition available to the international community.
John Lupien, Director
Food and Nutrition Division
Food and Agriculture Organization
Alex Malaspina, President
International Life Sciences Institute
