the World Food I’rogniiume WIT) will expand its school (ceding programme in early April to include some 600,000 schoolchildren in the government and NGO-run schools throughout the country.

WFP Country Director Pieter Dijkhuizen, briefing newsmen on (he future plan of the organisation at the IDB Bhaban in the city on Thursday, said it would be one of the largest school feeding programmes in the world.

The WFP at present provide vitamin and mineral rich biscuits among the students of 2,000 st hools in Jessore district. He said the basic objective of the programme was to encourage children to come to school. "At the same time children also get some nutrition," he added.

Dijkhuizen further kaid the biscuits, which supply 80 per cent of (he daily-recommended viiamin and mineral requirements for a child, are locally manufactured in commercial bakeries. " I ill now, some 15 million packets of biscuits have been distributed." he said.

He said that another new initiative for WFP this year is (he support the food aid agency is giving to the government's National Nutrition Programme. The WFP contribution would help the government's nutritional assistance to children under two years, adolescents (aged 10 to 19 wars),

pregnant women and nursing mothers.

I he WFP chief said his organisation was looking forward to a year of new initiatives that break new ground for the food aid agency in this South Asia nation.

Dijkhuizen said the \\ I I’ would launch the first three huh (wheat Hour) fortification mills in the country. He said the mills would be managed by partner NGOs and operated by the ultra-poor women whom WFP assists. He said 40 such plants would be set up across the country.

He said that the alia milling technology has a new device that guarantees that only the correct amount of vitamins and minerals are added to the wheat Hour.

"It is a simple but fool-proof piece of technology (hat enables these women to run the plant without the presence of qualified and expensive food safety engineers," he explained.

He further said that the fortified atta flour contains Viiamin A' and B, iron and zinc. These elements will give the poor women the supplements they need to overcome anaemia and Vitamin A deficiency, he said.

Heather Hill, W1P Regional Public Information Officer for Asia and Yunus Khan, Chief. Human Resources, Public Affairs and \d vocacy. were also present on the occasion.