NutriHarvest to provide 1.4m meals in UP, Maharashtra, Bihar
Columbia-headquartered HarvestPlus and global commodity trader Cargill are excited to announce the US$3 million NutriHarvest project, a transformative 36-month initiative for delivering 17 million nutritious meals in India, Kenya, Tanzania, and Guatemala.
Supported by Cargill and executed by HarvestPlus and HarvestPlus Solutions, the multi-year project is dedicated to increasing access to nutritious food deliveries.
In India, NutriHarvest will improve the capacity and skills of over 100,000 famers and provide 1.4 million nutritious meals in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Bihar https://www.nseindia.com/.
India is the world’s largest producer of millets, and the Government has been actively promoting both cultivation and consumption of millets by including this powerhouse of nutrition in government run programs https://www.cii.in/.
Adding to the momentum created through these programs, the NutriHarvest project will promote the production and consumption of nutrient-rich foods—such as biofortified crops (iron pearl millet and zinc wheat), and animal-sourced foods (poultry) https://sbi.com.in/.
Overall, the NutriHarvest project will help improve farmer livelihoods, food security, and access to nutrition in the communities served in India and is focused on two pillars of impact:
1. Home Grown School Feeding: By increasing farmer capacity to produce iron pearl millet and zinc wheat and integrating these nutrient-dense crops into local school feeding programs, NutriHarvest aims to improve dietary diversity for children. Through the NutriPatshala (nutri-school) program students will be reached with nutritious meals and provided nutrition education, including complimentary topics like hygiene practices. The program will lead increase in the overall availability, production, and consumption of iron pearl millet and zinc wheat in the country.
2. Hatching Hope: NutriHarvest will help enhance the capacity of poultry farmers through the Hatching Hope global initiative, which was launched in 2018 by Cargill with founding partner Heifer International. The project will expand the Hatching Hope initiative to provide training and support additional farmers, especially women, on adopting better and more sustainable poultry farming practices to improve their household protein consumption and drive local economic impact.
NutriHarvest aims to create lasting impact for communities around the world by empowering farmers to grow and market nutrient-rich crops, proteins and other foods and improve their livestock production practices. This will make nutritious meals more accessible and affordable in local markets, driving a broader transformation to more secure global food systems.
“Our partnership with Cargill on NutriHarvest project in India marks a significant stride towards our goal to combat malnutrition,” said Binu Cherian, Country Manager of HarvestPlus India https://www.bseindia.com/.
“By ensuring access to locally produced, nutrient-dense foods and enhanced poultry farming practices, we are creating a sustainable food system that is healthier and resilient,” Cherian said on 5 Dec.
“NutriHarvest represents a critical step in addressing both malnutrition and farmer’s livelihoods,” said Ravinder Grover, Global Business Manager of HarvestPlus Solutions.
“By integrating biofortified crops into school feeding programs and empowering women through the Hatching Hope initiative, we are creating sustainable pathways for improved health and economic resilience.
“This project is a testament to the power of aligning agriculture with nutrition to drive lasting, transformative change,” he said.
“As a connector of the global food system, Cargill is uniquely positioned to address the most pressing challenges and help improve food security,” elaborated Simon George, Country President Cargill India.
“Through our work with the NutriHarvest project and Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils Initiative (VACS), we are deepening our commitment to increasing food access and building long-term resiliency in communities, by that improving nutrition and farmer livelihoods,” he said.
Cargill is committed to providing food, ingredients, agricultural solutions, and industrial products to nourish the world in a safe, responsible, and sustainable way. Sitting at the heart of the supply chain, we partner with farmers and customers to source, make and deliver products that are vital for living.
HarvestPlus improves nutrition and public health by developing and promoting biofortified food crops that are rich in vitamins and minerals and providing global leadership on biofortification evidence and technology. HarvestPlus works across CGIAR as part of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). For more information, visit www.harvestplus.org.
HarvestPlus Solutions (HPS) is a purpose-driven, global networked organization headquartered in Washington, DC. Fiinews.com
