ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, May 29, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --

Global conference June 2 - 6 aims to ensure all people have the micronutrients they need for survival and best health 

The world's leading nutrition, food security, global health and sustainable agriculture experts and practitioners are gathering in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia next week to address micronutrient malnutrition, which affects one in three people in the world - most of them poor women and children in developing countries.

The Micronutrient Forum Global Conference is a catalyst for sharing expertise, insights and experience in preventing and treating micronutrient malnutrition. About 1,000 delegates from every continent will convene to link the best discovery and evidence to the programs that deliver micronutrients to those most in need.

Micronutrient malnutrition, also known as hidden hunger, is a severe lack of specific vitamins and minerals the human body needs. At its worst, micronutrient malnutrition kills. Most commonly, it leads to mental impairment, poor health and low productivity.

The problem is related to diet. Throughout the world, poor people lack access to nutrient-rich foods. This is compounded by inadequate health care services, poor sanitation, rampant disease, and a lack of education about infant and childcare.

The knowledge shared at the Micronutrient Forum Global Conference will help achieve the following goals:

• Promote the availability of foods that contain key micronutrients;
• Increase the scale of effective micronutrient delivery programs to reach more people on an ongoing basis;
• Provide a structure that engages the right players at all levels and coordinates their efforts;
• Build capacity and nurture leaders where the need for micronutrients is greatest;
• Build for a brighter future by laying the groundwork for ongoing commitment and investment in micronutrient solutions;
• Add to the body of scientific evidence through knowledge sharing; and
• Close the gaps between the best evidence and the design and delivery of programs.

About Micronutrient Forum 

The Micronutrient Forum is a consultative group of nutrition, health, agriculture, social protection, food security and private sector stakeholders. It brings together current research and programming on nutrition, focused on micronutrients, to provide an arena for the best evidence-based approach for programming. Visit http://www.micronutrientforum.org for more information. Follow @MNForum on Twitter and on Facebook.

For further information:

Media contact information: 

Abel Yeshaneh
+251-0911-45-3054
abely@ehnri.gov.et

SOURCE Micronutrient Forum