gain_work

Speech of GAIN

Mr Li Chang Ling, Deputy Director, State Development and Reform Commission
Her Excellency, Dr Peng Yu, Vice Minister of Health
... Chairman of the National Grain Board
Dr Li Liming, Director, China CDC
Dr Chen Chunming, Member of the GAIN Board
Distinguished Project Directors
Colleagues from the LIN and other agencies

Ladies and Gentlemen
To begin, I would like to thank you and the Government of the People's Republic of
China for the tremendous hospitality and professional cooperation you have offered my
GAIN colleagues and me during the period we have been here. I have in my career been
on many official missions, but I will count this one among the very best and most
memorable!
I cannot hide a sense of great excitement about this signing ceremony, for several
reasons.
First, these are the very first grant agreements GAIN has signed. In that sense we are
making history.
Second, the two projects we have just signed reflect an ambition and a vision as great and
high this Great Hall of the People. GAIN is proud to be associated with your energetic
efforts to end the hidden hunger, the deficiencies of essential vitamins and minerals--
after having so successfully overcome the problems of famine and macronutrient
malnutrition. Third, the potential good that these two projects will do to so many million people,
especially poor women and children, comes from action at a scale that cannot be
duplicated anywhere on earth. You have recognized the dramatic improvements that
mass fortification can bring to people's lives in terms of higher productivity, enhanced
immunity, improved cognitive function and reduced premature mortality. We salute you
for that!
The World Bank, in its seminal 1994 publication "Enriching Lives", said this about food
fortification: "Probably no other technology available today,offers as large an
opportunity to improve lives and accelerate development at such low cost and in such a
short time".
Excellency, colleagues, L&G,
The past two days many countries showcased their achievements in salt iodation and IDD
control in a conference jointly hosted by UNICEF, the Iodine Network and your
Government. The lessons of experience gained here, of both success and failure, come in
handy now that you are beginning the daunting task of moving toward mandatory flour
,%rtification and scaling up soy sauce fortification. China's efforts in successfullyuniversalizing salt iodation stands as a model for other to follow, and will guide its new
fortification programs.
Iron deficiency anaemia is an extremely important, but much neglected deficiency in the
world, and through the two new fortification projects the poor will get access to better
iron nutrition. Gains in school performance and economic and social productivity will
measurably rise.
As a country, China is scrupulous about reviewing scientific evidence to support action.
Once evidence is sufficient, action is taken, and to scale! Thus, China is actively
conducting feasibility of multiple micronutrient supplement program. China is also a
source of the world's knowledge of the relationship between folic acid and neural tube
birth defects. Basic research on NTD and the role of folic acid has made it clear to the
world that women must have adequate folic acid status BEFORE conception, to prevent
NTDs. That insight will also be acted upon in the wheat flour fortification project!
The soy sauce program will be the next major innovative contribution, with a new
vehicle, a new fortification methodology, new collaboration with the private sector and
new marketing strategies.
We can count on China to find a feasible solution, that will work on a large scale, that
will be scientifically credible, and that will have measurable results.
Excellency, L&G, we are honored to cooperate in partnership with so many experts from
so many agencies as are gathered here for this event. We at GAIN stand ready to support
your noble efforts.
Thank you.




Speech of GAIN Mr Li Chang Ling, Deputy Director, State Development and Reform Commission Her Excellency, Dr Peng Yu, Vice Minister of Health ... Chairman of the National Grain Board Dr Li Liming, Director, China CDC Dr Chen Chunming, Member of the GAIN Board Distinguished Project Directors Colleagues from the LIN and other agencies Ladies and Gentlemen To begin, I would like to thank you and the Government of the People's Republic of China for the tremendous hospitality and professional cooperation you have offered my GAIN colleagues and me during the period we have been here. I have in my career been on many official missions, but I will count this one among the very best and most memorable! I cannot hide a sense of great excitement about this signing ceremony, for several reasons. First, these are the very first grant agreements GAIN has signed. In that sense we are making history. Second, the two projects we have just signed reflect an ambition and a vision as great and high this Great Hall of the People. GAIN is proud to be associated with your energetic efforts to end the hidden hunger, the deficiencies of essential vitamins and minerals-- after having so successfully overcome the problems of famine and macronutrient malnutrition. Third, the potential good that these two projects will do to so many million people, especially poor women and children, comes from action at a scale that cannot be duplicated anywhere on earth. You have recognized the dramatic improvements that mass fortification can bring to people's lives in terms of higher productivity, enhanced immunity, improved cognitive function and reduced premature mortality. We salute you for that! The World Bank, in its seminal 1994 publication "Enriching Lives", said this about food fortification: "Probably no other technology available today,offers as large an opportunity to improve lives and accelerate development at such low cost and in such a short time". Excellency, colleagues, L&G, The past two days many countries showcased their achievements in salt iodation and IDD control in a conference jointly hosted by UNICEF, the Iodine Network and your Government. The lessons of experience gained here, of both success and failure, come in handy now that you are beginning the daunting task of moving toward mandatory flour ,%rtification and scaling up soy sauce fortification. China's efforts in successfullyuniversalizing salt iodation stands as a model for other to follow, and will guide its new fortification programs. Iron deficiency anaemia is an extremely important, but much neglected deficiency in the world, and through the two new fortification projects the poor will get access to better iron nutrition. Gains in school performance and economic and social productivity will measurably rise. As a country, China is scrupulous about reviewing scientific evidence to support action. Once evidence is sufficient, action is taken, and to scale! Thus, China is actively conducting feasibility of multiple micronutrient supplement program. China is also a source of the world's knowledge of the relationship between folic acid and neural tube birth defects. Basic research on NTD and the role of folic acid has made it clear to the world that women must have adequate folic acid status BEFORE conception, to prevent NTDs. That insight will also be acted upon in the wheat flour fortification project! The soy sauce program will be the next major innovative contribution, with a new vehicle, a new fortification methodology, new collaboration with the private sector and new marketing strategies. We can count on China to find a feasible solution, that will work on a large scale, that will be scientifically credible, and that will have measurable results. Excellency, L&G, we are honored to cooperate in partnership with so many experts from so many agencies as are gathered here for this event. We at GAIN stand ready to support your noble efforts. Thank you.