The UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) awarded Oxford Policy Management a contract to undertake a feasibility study on the local production of Ready to Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) and/or Ready to Use Supplementary Food (RUSF) in Zambia. The feasibility study has two specific milestones: initial analysis of the Zambian RUTF and RUSF market and a potential model for local production.

The general objective of this study is to explore the feasibility of producing RUTF and/or RUSF in Zambia. The main specific objectives for Milestone 1, the results of which this report describes, are to assess the market dynamics of RUTF and RUSF in Zambia, estimate costs of local production, assess current and potential demand in Zambia and the region, and recommend on overall feasibility of local production.

In agreement with FCDO, this study phase focuses on lipid based RUTF and RUSF in sachets used for treatment of severe and moderate acute malnutrition (SAM/MAM) of children from six months of age, as per the treatment guidelines of Zambia and the relevant national and international regulations and standards.

The study consisted of document review, a stakeholder mapping, key informant interviews (30 interviews, involving 40 people), estimation of demand, and cost comparison. Data collection took place between July and October 2021.