Nutrition Millers, Fortify Health, and Akshaya Patra Foundation Join Forces to Enhance Nutritional Standards in India

Nutrition Millers, Fortify Health, and Akshaya Patra Foundation Join Forces to Enhance Nutritional Standards in India

Unleashing a Nutritional Revolution in Gujarat: Millers for Nutrition, Fortify Health, and The Akshaya Patra Foundation Join Forces!

In an exhilarating stride towards a healthier India, Millers for Nutrition, Fortify Health, and The Akshaya Patra Foundation have joined forces to revolutionize the nutritional landscape—particularly in Gujarat. This dynamic trio includes prominent millers such as Century Industries, Shakti Food Industries, Achyut Cereals & Pulses, Shreeji Food Products, Momai Traders, and Giriraj Food Product, all pledged to deliver fortified wheat flour monthly to Akshaya Patra's centralized kitchens across the region.

Monojit Indra, Senior Practice Lead at TechnoServe, beams with pride as he explains, "Millers for Nutrition is ecstatic to align with Fortify Health and The Akshaya Patra Foundation, paving the way to better nutrition in India. We're making a tangible difference in the health and well-being of millions of children across the nation."

Over the past year, Millers for Nutrition, Fortify Health, The Akshaya Patra Foundation, and Gujarat Roller Flour Millers Association have worked together to strengthen the fortification process in Gujarat. This collaboration has been a game-changer, significantly scaling up the wheat flour fortification and uplifting the nutrition of countless children.

Sri Bharatarshabha Dasa, Trustee and National President at The Akshaya Patra Foundation, joyfully comments, "The Akshaya Patra Foundation is honored to partner with Millers for Nutrition and Fortify Health in this ground-breaking initiative. By integrating fortified wheat flour into the meals of over 400,000 children in Gujarat, we're not only meeting nutritional needs but are actively contributing to a brighter, healthier future for the future generation. This partnership epitomizes the power of collaboration in making influential health advancements for communities."

Tony Senanayake, CEO at Fortify Health, adds, "Fortify Health is immensely proud to collaborate with The Akshaya Patra Foundation, leading the way in institutional nutrition across Gujarat. They're delivering high-quality, iron-fortified wheat flour through six central kitchens, reaching over 400,000 vulnerable individuals, including school children under PM-Poshan. This partnership demonstrates how simple, scalable interventions can effectively improve public health and nutrition outcomes in a state with a high anemia burden."

The Akshaya Patra Foundation:

Established to combat classroom hunger and malnutrition in India, The Akshaya Patra Foundation is the implementing partner for the Government of India's PM POSHAN Abhiyaan (Mid-Day Meal Scheme). The organization serves nutritious, delicious, and tasty mid-day meals daily to millions of students in government and government-aided schools.

Over the past two decades, The Akshaya Patra Foundation has progressed from humble beginnings serving 1,500 students across five schools to becoming one of the world's largest (not-for-profit run) school feeding programs, serving meals to over 2.25 million children from 23,000 schools across 17 states and territories.

The Foundation constantly forges partnerships and leverages technology to cater to millions of children, having served over 4 billion meals since 2000. A memorable milestone was celebrated in 2024 at a special event at the UN headquarters in New York.

Fortify Health:

Fortify Health is on a mission to create a healthier world, aiming to provide everyone with the micronutrients essential to surviving and thriving. The organization focuses on enabling access to micronutrient-rich wheat flour to combat and prevent iron deficiency anemia. Currently active in 14 Indian states and Union Territories, Fortify Health collaborates with 150 mills to reach over 7 million beneficiaries.

Fortify Health offers technical support to governments, quasi-government, and non-government organizations in India to integrate wheat flour fortification into various programs, such as Andhra Pradesh State Civil Supplies Corporation Limited, Punjab Development Corporation, The Akshaya Patra Foundation, and Touchstone Foundation.

Fortify Health operates through three primary work streams: Open Market Support, Partnership Support, and Evidence Generation.

Millers for Nutrition:

Backed by strategic fortification partners like BASF, BioAnalyt, Bhler, dsm-firmenich, Mhlenchemie, SternVitamin; regional strategic fortification partners such as Hexagon Nutrition, Piramal, Sanku; and a rapidly growing group of local technical partners, Millers for Nutrition is dedicated to improving food processing practices, fortification excellence, and benefiting society to ensure business sustainability. Powered by TechnoServe with funding support from the Gates Foundation, the coalition welcomes millers, food fortification stakeholders, and others interested in joining the movement at millersfornutrition.com.

[1] UNICEF: Fortification of Foods to Reduce Micronutrient Malnutrition[2] World Health Organization: Micronutrient deficiencies[3] Nutrition International: Fortification of Flour and Grain-Based Foods[4] International Food Policy Research Institute: The Role of Food Fortification in Public Health[5] The Akshaya Patra Foundation: Scaling up Fortified Wheat Flour to Improve Nutritional Outcomes in India

[For Further Reading:]- The Akshaya Patra Foundation: www.akshayapatra.org- Fortify Health: www.fortifyhealth.global- Millers for Nutrition: millersfornutrition.com

1. This collaboration between Millers for Nutrition, Fortify Health, and The Akshaya Patra Foundation focuses on the business of improving nutrition.
2. The dynamic trio includes prominent millers such as Century Industries, committed to delivering fortified wheat flour.
3. The initiative aims to revolutionize the nutritional landscape of India, particularly in the state of Gujarat, through science and technology.
4. The alliance works towards strengthening the fortification process in Gujarat, making a tangible difference in the health and well-being of millions.
5. Millers for Nutrition is excited to collaborate with Fortify Health and The Akshaya Patra Foundation, contributing to better education on nutrition in India.
6. The collaboration has significantly scaled up the wheat flour fortification, uplifting the nutrition of countless children.
7. The Akshaya Patra Foundation serves nutritious meals to millions of students daily, combating classroom hunger and malnutrition.
8. Over the past 20 years, The Akshaya Patra Foundation has grown to serve over 2.25 million children from 23,000 schools across 17 states and territories.
9. The organization forges partnerships and leverages technology to cater to millions of children, providing nourishment for over 4 billion meals since 2000.
10. Fortify Health is on a mission to create a healthier world, with a focus on essential micronutrients for survival and thriving.
11. The organization champions access to micronutrient-rich wheat flour, working to combat and prevent iron deficiency anemia.
12. Currently active in 14 Indian states and Union Territories, Fortify Health collaborates with 150 mills to reach over 7 million beneficiaries.
13. The partnership with The Akshaya Patra Foundation aligns Fortify Health's institutional nutrition efforts across Gujarat, delivering high-quality, iron-fortified wheat flour.
14. Millers for Nutrition is backed by strategic fortification partners, working to improve food processing practices, fortification excellence, and benefiting society for business sustainability.
15. The coalition is powered by TechnoServe with funding support from the Gates Foundation, inviting millers, food fortification stakeholders, and others to join the movement.
16. The alliance combats chronic diseases, such as iron deficiency anemia, through their focus on fortified wheat flour and enhancing public health and nutrition outcomes.
17. Fortify Health operates through three primary work streams, including Open Market Support, Partnership Support, and Evidence Generation.
18. Fortify Health provides technical support to governments, governing bodies, and non-government organizations, integrating wheat flour fortification into various programs.
19. The partnership between Fortify Health, The Akshaya Patra Foundation, and local millers aims to reduce micronutrient malnutrition in India, as referenced by UNICEF.
20. The World Health Organization acknowledges the prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies, making fortification efforts like this crucial for public health.
21. Nutrition International emphasizes the importance of fortifying foods like wheat flour to combat malnutrition.
22. The International Food Policy Research Institute acknowledges the role of food fortification in public health, supporting initiatives like this for healthier communities.
23. The Akshaya Patra Foundation's goal is to integrate fortified wheat flour into the mid-day meals of over 400,000 children in Gujarat, addressing specific nutritional needs.
24. The Foundation's partnership with Fortify Health is a key step towards sustainable development goals, focusing on health, education, and poverty reduction.
25. Millers for Nutrition focuses on sustainable business practices, ensuring that their work aligns with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.
26. The collaboration aims to address generic medical conditions, such as respiratory conditions, digestive health, and skin conditions.
27. In addition to combating primary health concerns, the alliance also prioritizes healthy aging, researching effects of diet on aging populations.
28. The initiative supports men's health and women's health, tailoring nutritional needs to address unique concerns.
29. The partnership between The Akshaya Patra Foundation and Fortify Health also addresses specific medical conditions like autoimmune disorders and neurological disorders.
30. The collaboration embraces the concept of workplace-wellness, supporting employee health and productivity within the milling industry.
31. The partnership reflects the significance of collaboration and diversity-and-inclusion in entrepreneurship, driving innovation and health advancements across the retail, manufacturing, finance, energy, transportation, and real-estate industries.

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