Brief Report of IUNS Task Force on “Technologies and Nutrition”

(November 2003 – June 2005)

Prof. Mark. L. Wahlqvist, President, IUNS requested Dr. V. Prakash to Chair this Task Force in November 2003 and Dr. Prakash accepted the same.

Address: Dr. V. Prakash, Director, CFTRI, Mysore-570 020, India

(e-mail: prakash@cftri.com)

Members of the Task Force:

Prof. Ruth Oniango’o, Nairobi, Kenya ( Food, Education Publishing)

(e-mail: oniango@iconnect.co.ke)

Dr. Kalyana Sundaram, Malaysia ( Horticulture/Food/ health Technology)

(e-mail; kalyana@mpob.gov.my)

Dr. Hanifa Bachou, Kampala, Uganda (e-mail: sab@africaonline.co.ug)

Ms. Azizah Omar, Malaysia/ Australia (IT)

(e-mail: aoma1@student.monash.edu.au)

Following were interested and upon request by Chair made themselves available to assist the Task Force as and when required:

Dr. Venkatesh Iyengar ( Formerly in IAEA, Nuclear Technologist) USA

(e-mail: gviyengar@biominerals.org)

Dr. Maureen McKay (Monsanto, Chicago/St. Louis) ( Biotechnology)

(e-mail: Maureen.a.mackey@monsanto.com)

Prof. Samuel Sefa-Dedeh, Ghana (ICSU & Ghana; Traditional African Technologies) (e-mail: crspugl@ghana.com)

Dr. Gayle Savige, (Asia Pacific Health & Nutrition Centre, Monash Asia Institute, Australia (e-mail: gayle.savige@med.monash.edu.au)

A. The Objectives of the Task Force are principally :

To generate a Report which would bring together the current understanding of “Technologies with potential to accelerate human development through Food and Nutrition”
To develop a proposal, in conjunction with other science and technology partners, for prototype community-based projects which apply the Report Findings.

B. Agenda prioritized for this Task Force are :

1. Food Technology (in conjunction with IUFoST several activities and events are planned (or have taken place). Some of them are :

	On-line Education- Joint with IUFoST ( meeting, Nairobi 2002)
	IUFoST- 12^th World Congress of Food Technology,Chicago, USA, July 16-20, 2003
	Post WCCN ( IUNS- World Congress of Clinical Nutrition)- Cairns, Queensland, August,2004

2. Biotechnology

Follow up from the ICSU report on GMF in which IUNS was involved.

3. Information Technology and Telecommunication

	Industry Partnerships are being pursued
	Focus on empowerment of women (eg. Mobile phones through Grameen Bank in Bangladesh)

4. Energy Conservation
(eg. Use of solar cookers etc)

	Environmental advantage and impact of de-afforestation
	Reduced household pollution and respiratory illness (UNEP Report)
	Convenience and reduced burden of work for women

C. Way Forward :

(1) First meeting, 7 February,2004, Mumbai, India

After taking over as Chair of this Task Force by Dr. V. Prakash, The First meeting was held on 7^th February, 2004 at Mumbai with assistance from Prof. Marika Vicziany of Monash Asia Institute (an Economist with a focus on poverty and on India) who organized the meeting at Mumbai.

Dr. Prakash invited all the Task Force members and other resource persons for this meeting. Prof. Mark L. Wahlqvist, President, IUNS attended this meeting. Prof. Marika Vicziany and Ms. Azizah Omar were able to present and other members could not attend the meeting because of preoccupation.

The following agenda items were discussed in the meeting:

	Fixing Priorities for the Year 2004 – 2005
	Identification of strategies with particular reference to Africa based on the Cross-learning experience between Africa and Asia.
	Bringing out Reports and Activities thereon
	Matter concerning the Durban IUNS Conference and Safaris.
	Proposal on Joint meeting of Chairs of Task Force
	About workshop on School Children Health and Nutrition
	Holding Workshops and Symposia by IUNS Task Force on Technologies and Nutrition- selection of Topics, dates and venues during the next 3 Years (from 2004-2006)
	Preparation of Report on Task Force meeting for publication in “ Asia Pacific journal of Clinical nutrition” (ongoing)

The meeting deliberated a large number of issues as mentioned above and Prof. Mark L. Wahlqvist briefed the committee on many areas and the following are the major points that were highlighted :

(a) Review:

Brief of IUNS website

1^st meeting in Nairobi with Prof. Ruth Oniango’o as the Chair

Interaction with Hanifa (Information Technology and Nutrition in Africa)

First 50 graduates – major work force in changing Africa in Technology leverage

Study center / reviewal linkage

“Developing a report to make the case for Technology and Development to show Technology is related to Nutrition”

Technology Impact and Nutrition –Food Technology, Information Technology and Biotechnology

Energy – renewable and sustainable/ economic factor

Technology for water / food – needs to be addressed in tandem

Fortification and Biofortification ( role of CFTRI)

(b) Products / databases and outreach

IUNS Technical Reports

A policy statement can come out with an agreed statement

How technology can relate to nutrition region wise

Multimedia super corridor (Malaysia as an example)

Product profile

Ex: (i) Energy food		CFTRI
(ii) Protein biscuits

	Food based approach and Nutrition
	Micronutrients – Iron, Folic, Vit A / zinc, Iodine
	Coarse grains and cereals (availability)

(c ) Special issue of Journal of APJCN:

Title : “The Role of Nutrition-linked Technologies in Human Security”

As regards bringing a special volume of APJCN, the committee deliberated in length and it was suggested to bring out a special volume incorporating the entire concept of holistic nutrition with the mandate of not only reaching out through ICT but also through sustainability development sustainability nutritional outlook for health and economic development. It would contain about 14 articles of 6 to 8 pages per article perhaps not exceeding about 96 pages. Will contain preface and recommendations along with the articles. Leading Nutritionists have been invited for the articles and is in the press of receiving the articles and finalizing the volume.

(2) Meeting of Chair, Task Force with President, IUNS November 3-4, 2004, Mysore, India

The Second Meeting of the Task Force was held at CFTRI, Mysore, India Under Chair of Dr. V. Prakash during November 3-4, 2004. For this meeting Prof. Mark L. Wahlqvist was present who came as a Chief Guest for Nutrition Society of India Symposium conducted by University of Mysore in collaboration with CFTRI from November 5-6,2004. Dr. P. Ramesh Kumar, Scientist, CFTRI who assisted the meeting. Dr. Prakash and Prof. Mark L. Wahlqvist discussed together the whole perspective with regard to articles for Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition (APJCN) in a second attempt during this Task Force meeting. During this course of the meeting the Chair has got valuable inputs from Prof. Marika Vicziany through online. Dr. Prakash and Dr. Mark L. Wahlqvist also discussed various issues pertaining to deliberations of CASNA meeting held at CFTRI in the month of August, 2004: Internet Access and Capacity Building in Africa, Community Projects with special reference to Rural women entrepreneurship in Kuppam, Andrapradesh and Food Proceesing Centre at B.R.Hills, Karnataka in South India. These 2 places were visited by the IUNS President. Dr. Prakash indicated that CFTRI will integrate the community projects as the institute has vast experience in this area. Invited talks to be given at Durban Nutrition Safari 2005 were also discussed in the meeting.

(a) Brief on Annual Meet of Nutrition society of India at CFTRI, Mysore:

The 36^th Annual Meet of Nutrition Society of India (NSI) was held at CFTRI, Mysore from 5-6, November,2004 which was organized by Dept. of Studies in Food Science and Nutrition, University of Mysore, Mysore in collaboration with CFTRI. The Theme of the Meet is “Bridging the Nutrition Gap through Value addition”. The meeting had a total of 1200 Registrants along with more than 1800 participants and the Key Note Address was given by Prof. Mark L.. Wahlqvist, President, IUNS. Dr. V. Prakash has given Presidential address and emphasized in his speech “If reach out of Nutrition to the Needy matters to us, we shall matter more to reach out”. Dr. Mark Wahlqvist gave 28^th Gopalan Oration award Lecture entitled “ The Nutrition Science: Solutions for Development”. Dr. Kamala Krishnaswamy ( President, NSI, India) gave 16^th S.G. Srikantia Memorial Award Lecture entitled “Turmeric- “ The Salt of the Orient is the Spice of Life”. In addition to these there are several Scientific Sessions with parallel symposia and poster sessions for youngsters. The symposia covered various areas in the fields of Critical determinants of pregnancy outcome, Community Nutrition, Experimental Nutrition and Bridging the Nutrition gap through Value addition with reference to Food Processing, Capacity Building, Traditional knowledge base and Technology Intervention. In Concluding Session, Dr. Mark Wahlqvist distributed Awards and Certificates to budding Scientists in the field of Nutrition.

(3) Next meeting of Task Force, September 2005 at Durban

The next meeting of this Task Force is expected during 18^th International Nutritional Congress to be held at Durban, South Africa during 19-23 September, 2005.

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