June 2013

At Lima, Peru, the Umami Information Center held the "Umami Charity Dinner" at the end of 2011. Now we have received the wonderful news from the Ajinomoto Foundation that co-organized this event stating that the outcome of the event contributed to the World Food Program.

Ms. Dora Sato of the foundation kindly sent her report on this program. While being proud of this result, we are sure that the Umami Information Center could not have succeeded in this great effort without the assistance of the dozen of chefs who devotedly helped to put on this dinner.

Ajinomoto Foundation and WFP, joining efforts towards community well-being

The implementation of the "Promoting Nutrition and Food Security" Pilot Project was the extraordinary result of the joint efforts of Ajinomoto Foundation, World Food Programme (WFP) of UN and the active participation of 6 communities in Huaura province to fight against malnutrition and anemia, by promoting nutritious and balanced food intake.

But the joint efforts of this project date back to December 2011 when UIC, Ajinomoto del Peru S.A and a group of renowned chefs from Japan and Peru (Nobu Matsuhisa, Murata Yoshihiro, Toshiro Konishi, Pedro Miguel Schiaffino, Virgilio Martinez, Mitsuharu Tsumura, Astrid Gutsche, Hajime Kasuga, Coque Ossio among others) contributed to the Umami Charity Dinner. This was an important activity organized to promote umami knowledge among attendees and to raise funds for the implementation of a social project by the WFP.

The Umami Charity Dinner was a big success; we were able to raise a fund of US$ 29.800. This amount was donated to WFP for the design and implementation of a project to improve the nutritional status of a community. We requested that the beneficiary had to be a farming community, as agriculture is the starting point of the food chain we all depend on, including food industries and gastronomy. The expansion of Peruvian food culture and gastronomy depends also on the agriculture development and the promotion of local ingredients and products. For this reason, it is important that all players of food chain get involved in promoting sustainable gastronomy and better nutrition.

On April 17th, a Nutrition Fair was organized to celebrate the completion of the Pilot Project and to show the results of this implementation. There were different activities in which beneficiaries put into practice all information and knowledge acquired through the workshops:
-?Nutritious dishes contest using local and season products
-?Drawing and Painting contest promoting healthy living
-?Recreational activities with nutrition information
Representatives of Ajinomoto Foundation participated in the award ceremony for the winners of cooking and drawing contests and encouraged all participants and local authorities to become key players in the fight against child malnutrition and anemia.

The project succeeded initial expectations as it expanded to additional three districts (6 in total) and provided technical assistance to prepare 5 projects to be submitted to Ministry of Economy and Finances in order to obtain economic financing under the National Public Investment System. This mechanism will guarantee the sustainability of this Pilot Project so it could be applied to other communities.

This project is a long dream turned into reality: it has a positive impact in the local community and its sustainability is ensured even after Ajinomoto Foundation support is over.

It is the result of the joint effort of different groups moved by the spirit of solidarity. We want to express once again our gratitude to WFP, UIC and all the chefs who contributed to this project and made possible for us celebrate with the community the success of its implementation. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

Dora Sato
Ajinomoto Foundation

BASIC INFORMATION ON THE PILOT PROJECT

-?OBJECTIVE:
Contribute to the improvement of Nutrition and Food Security in the communities dedicated to agriculture in the districts of Carquin, Huaura and Vegueta - province of Huaura through the promotion of good practices of nutrition and in this way contribute to the prevention of malnutrition and child anemia.
-?LOCATION:
Province of Huaura - northern part of the Department of Lima, 3 hour by car
-?NUMBER OF BENEFICIARIES:
Direct beneficiaries were 300 family dedicated to agriculture, approximately 1,500 people including 300 pregnant and breast-feeding women, 375 children under five years and 300 children from elementary and high school.
-?PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS AND OTHERS THAT SUPPORTED THE PROJECT:
World Food Programme, Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), Institute of Development (INPRODES), Municipal Governments from the districts of Carquin, Huaura, Vegueta, Hualmay, Santa Maria and Leoncio Prado (Huaura Province), School Feeding Committees, Kitchen Committees, Social Breakfast Service Program, local community
-?RESULTS ACHIEVED:
Families of Carquin, Huaura, Vegueta, Hualmay, Santa Maria and Leoncio Prado districts identify, value and use several and appropriate food products to improve the quality of their nutrition.
Educational authorities in each district plan and implement effective actions to promote good practice of nutrition, in coordination with the organizations of agricultural producers and the local institution in charge of water management.
The district municipalities of Carquin, Huaura, Vegueta, Hualmay, Santa Maria and Leoncio Prado, Health Network, the Local Education Management Units and local private institutions increased their awareness in nutritional issues and included in their annual plans activities for promoting a healthy nutrition based on local products.
The Project provided technical assistance to prepare 5 projects to be submitted to Ministry of Economy and Finances in order to obtain economic financing under the National Public Investment System. This mechanism will guarantee the sustainability of this Pilot Project so it could be applied to more communities.
With this project, Ajinomoto del Peru SA and Ajinomoto Foundation are contributing their bit to the commitment assumed by Ajinomoto Group in order to solve three major problems that the world is currently facing: Global sustainability, Food resources and healthy living.