US Ambassador Commissions East Africa’s Largest Fortified Foods Factory.

CEO Dr. Moses Mwangi (centre) explains a point to the US Ambassador to Kenya Robert Godec during a visit to the Equatorial Fortified Foods Processor in Maragua, Murang'a County. Looking on is the company chairman Mr. Peter Munga (extreme right).

United States of America (USA) ambassador to Kenya Robert Godec has reiterated that his country will continue to support health programs in Kenya and especially those that are touching on the lives of HIV infected and malnutrition patients.

The ambassador observed that for a long time the two countries have partnered well in realizing health programmes meant to save lives of many vulnerable people.

Speaking when he was commissioning Equatorial Fortified Foods Processor in Maragua, Murang’a, the ambassador said his country has embarked in providing nutritious foods to persons living with HIV/AIDS and also to malnourished children. He noted that, as a country, they were giving out more than 4, 500 tonnes of nutritious flour annually which is distributed through 1, 000 health centers in various parts of the country.

“More than 90, 000 malnourished children are benefiting from the nutritious foods being distributed by United States International Development Agency (USAID) and the programme has been of big success,” said Godec.

He said the Equatorial Fortified Foods Processors is one of the companies which have been contracted by his country to produce the special foods which not only is being given out to Kenya but also to other countries in Africa.

The menace of HIV/AIDS, the ambassador noted can be dealt well by providing the victims with nutritious foods which will boost their health.

Speaking in the same occasion, the chairman of the company Mr. Peter Munga said he procured the machinery from USA saying the factory has been of great benefit in health and agricultural sectors.

He noted the factory was established mainly to address challenges of under-nutrition and hidden hunger. Munga said the products from the processor are positively impacting the health of thousands of patients across the nation in hospitals and medical clinics selected in the programme.

Nutritional commodities estimated at about 1, 500 tonnes, Munga said have been supplied to people at risk of malnutrition due to conflicts in South Sudan and Somalia through various humanitarian organizations.

“Our products are also in use in school feeding programmes in some counties such as Machakos, Kajiado and Kiambu and also to children in informal settlements areas including Kibera, Mathare and Mukuru Kwa Njenga.” Added the chairman.

The factory’s CEO Dr. Moses Mwangi said that the factory is the biggest in Eastern Africa with a capacity to manufacture 25, 000 metric tons per year.

He added that the factory acquired a fully automated extruder worth $2 million from USA. 

Fortified foods are foods to which extra nutrients have been added. Examples of these nutrients include vitamin A, B vitamins, vitamin D, folic acid, iodine, and iron. The original purpose of food fortification was to decrease the occurrence of nutrient deficiencies.