This report highlights the workforce nutrition initiative for tea estate workers in Malawi, implemented from February 2021 to March 2023 by GAIN and the Ethical Tea Partnership. The programme focused on improving access to fortified foods and nutrition education.
Key outcomes:
23,000 estate workers consumed fortified maize lunches daily across 12 tea estates.
Fortified flour provided eight key micronutrients (iron, folate, zinc, vitamin A, B12, B1, B2, niacin).
Women’s dietary diversity improved, with those meeting the minimum dietary diversity threshold rising from 20.3% to 59.6%.
Training of maize millers ensured continued fortified flour supply beyond the project.
The study concluded that workforce nutrition programs are cost-effective interventions for improving dietary quality in labor-intensive industries.