Fighting Corruption with Vitamins

Malnutrition is a huge problem in Afghanistan.   One-fifth of Afghan kids are malnourished and that increases to one-third in combat zones.  60 per cent of children under five are stunted.

Tens of billions of dollars of foreign aid flows into Afghanistan but much of that disappears into the gaping maw of a corrupt government and bureaucracy.   The resurgent civil war prevents NGOs from operating at all in some regions.

One solution being attempted by the World Food Programme is to distribute "fortified food" to nearly half the country's population, 15-million in all.   Vitamins and minerals are added to wheat flour, oil and gee.  Whether a solution that has worked elsewhere will succeed in Afghanistan is, however, uncertain.

"There are several problems, besides security which is an obvious issue," said one Afghan analyst who asked to remain anonymous. "Are Afghans prepared to eat this food? How are you going to convince people that something added to their food is good for them? Afghanistan is full of conspiracy theories. And then there is corruption; how can this be implemented so those who buy the fortified wheat flour are not taking it out of the bag and filling it with other flour? In a large project like this, mullahs [religious leaders] and tribal elders need to be key advocates, otherwise it won't work. And getting Afghanistan's neighbours to comply and work for the good of Afghanistan is another story."