Page 29 - Tata-Trusts-Annual-Report-2021-22

OVERVIEW as part of corporate social opportunities (CSOs), by
non-profit and community-based organisations, industry,
and media in disseminating information.
Malnutrition remains a major threat to the survival, growth,
and development of children. Good nutrition is an essential
Improving nutrition lies at the core of global development
requirement for leading a healthy
and is central to achieving the United Nations’
life and achieving one’s full growth
Sustainable Development Goals (U.N. SDGs). Success in
potential. Malnutrition can very
nutrition is linked to each of the SDGs; consequently,
often lead to disease and morbidity
improving nutrition is foundational to achieving
and is an important marker for determining
sustainable global development.
inequality. Though India’s nutritional
outcomes have improved
Tata Trusts’ Nutrition portfolio works
consistently over the years, the
towards improving the coverage
country is still grappling with
of nutrition services, leveraging
child malnutrition, as reflected
technology to improve nutrition
in the high prevalence of low
governance, supporting capacity
birth weight, stunting, wasting,
building among key functionaries, as
and severe wasting. Adequate
well as conducting research to achieve
nutrition during infancy and
better dietary and nutrition outcomes.
early childhood is essential to
The key focus areas of the portfolio are:
ensuring that children are healthy
and reach their full growth and
1. Food fortification to address the growing
development potential.
burden of malnutrition and hidden hunger -
Fortification of staple foods has been identified
Malnutrition is a complex condition caused
as an important intervention for tackling the high levels
by multiple factors. In India, it has taken the magnitude of
of micronutrient deficiency prevalent in the country. The
a silent emergency. Undernutrition and micronutrient
focus is on creating an enabling environment for staple
malnutrition in children, adolescents, and women of
food fortification in the country.
reproductive age are rampant, resulting in severely
constraining the country’s potential. Hence, it is important
2. Maternal Infant and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN) –
to break this cycle to transform the lives of the country’s
High-impact interventions are being implemented to
citizens and catalyse societal development.
reduce the prevalence of stunting, wasting, and
underweight in young infants and children, whilst
The Trusts recognise that undernutrition in children is a
prioritising the comprehensive management of Severe
complex problem. E orts are underway but will yield
Acute Malnutrition (SAM) in India.
results only when combined with serious attention to
promoting the adoption of correct child feeding practices
3. Gathering data for nutrition governance, policy, and
during the first 1,000 days of life of a child. Serious e orts
advocacy for sustainable development.
need to be made, not only by the Integrated Child
Development Services (ICDS) or public health
departments, but also the private health sector, including

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