Ghana Nutrition
Improvement Project (GNIP)

Background and History

The Ajinomoto Foundation (TAF)１. Background

Stunting IssueMalnutrition causes
unhealthy growth ofbody and brain.
Missing “First 1,000 days”
are not reversible.
Bain scans of normal / malnourished

No. of malnourished children
under 5 years

Sub-Sahara

Increasing only in Sub-Sahara Africa© 2022 The Ajinomoto Foundation2

１. Background

Stunting issue in Ghana

30% of 2 years’ infants are Stunted

Hypothesis: Complementary
food cause it?

koko

Rapid increase after 6 monthsof birth, staring weaning period.

koko sakora doesn’t haveenough nutrients like
protein and micronutrients.

Reference:Ghana_Ddemographic and Health Survey 2014

Respecting Ghanaian Traditional Local Food Culture,(just add some necessary nutrientsto koko,)
The Ghana Nutrition Improvement Project was started
with University of Ghana in 2009.
3© 2022 The Ajinomoto Foundation

2. Project History
Phase 1 :2009-2012 Start up
Product Development
1. Concept(1) Supplement to balance nutrients(2) Improve nutrition & deliciousness

２. Feature(1) Affordable: 0.1$（0.50 cedis）/sachet / day(2) Utilize Local Food Value ChainLocal Material (soya）, Local Manufacture, and Local Distributor

Phase 2:2013-2015 Pilot study
Evidence Base:Efficacy study and Distribution model development
Efficacy Study

Distribution ModelMothers buy it?

Grow with KOKO Plus?

① Rural (Northern)
VSLA, VBE

➡Evidence publishedwith Good Result toimprove nutrition② Urban (Southern)
Nutrition educationsell in provisionalshops© 2022 The Ajinomoto Foundation➡ buy if Mothers
understandproduct benefits43. Collaborations with Public Sectors
Phase 3:2016-2018 Feasibility study①:

Behavior Chance Communication, Pilot in 1 district in AshantiCreate beneficiaries’ behavior changes
through nurses’ daily nutrition educations.
Build up a model of social business modelwith Public Private Partnership
1. Health check

PublicAcknow-ledge

Under-standBehavior
4. Utilize“KOKO Plus”
feed babies

2. Nurses’①Nutrition education

PrivateLocal Productionand Distribution②Introduce“KOKO Plus”

3.Motherspurchase“KOKO Plus”
5© 2022 The Ajinomoto Foundation

3. Collaborations with Public Sectors
Project orientation for nurses(By The Ajinomoto Foundation and Local Partner)
Gather nurses by district, and have sessions tointroduce education tools and KOKO Plus.

The orientation in Agona Swedru (10th Jan 2019)© 2022 The Ajinomoto Foundation

Practice session (Role play)6

3. Collaborations with Public Sectors
Nurses come back from the orientation to their fields,and educate mothers about the importance of balanced
diet with the new education tool.

© 2022 The Ajinomoto Foundation

73. Collaborations with Public Sectors
Creating a good cycle for baby’s good growth!!

Nutrition
education &introduction ofKOKO Plus

Mothers go andbuy KOKO Plusat shops

Good CycleforGood GrowthBaby grows
well, andmothers comesback with smile& Confident

Feed baby foodwith KOKOPlus© 2022 The Ajinomoto Foundation

83. Collaborations with Public Sectors
Multi-Sector Collaboration speeds up the progress of the project

PrivatePublicMOFAWorldVision

NoguchiInstituteIFPRI

Universityof Ghana

NPO/NGOAcademia

9© 2023 The Ajinomoto Foundation

93. Collaborations with Public Sectors
 Collaboration with GHS by nutrition education
90 districts & 6,000 Nurses (≒35% of nationwide) Distributing in over 5,500 retailers
 In 2021 : Negative effect due to COVID but shift toemergency support to Northern areas collaboratingwith WFP 150 (2022)(2021)
Distribution Trend of KOKO Plus (Year 2018 - 2020)  10757distrcts
(2020)≒ # of Mothers
who made Behavior Changes

700,000

600,000

500,000

400,000

300,000

200,000
100,000
0

Jan Mar May

Jul Sep
Nov Jan Mar
May JulSep Nov
Y2018
Jan MarMay
Y2019

AshantiCentralAccra

Northern© 2022 The Ajinomoto Foundation

NorthernJulSep

2020
OthersAshanti

NovJanTotal10