Rice Fortification

Rice has the highest uptake in government food safety net programmes such as the public distribution system, mid-day meal schemes, integrated child development services, etc. It has a potential to reach 740 million people, especially women and children making rice an ideal vehicle for fortification.

The Trusts is working directly with both  Government of Maharashtra and Government of Andhra Pradesh, with  Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Department , to commence the supply of fortified rice across the Public Distribution System, in the Aspirational district of Gadchiroli in Maharashtra and West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh ,as part of Centrally Sponsored Government Scheme announced in June 2019 to introduce fortified rice across the 15 states on pilot basis through the Public distribution System.  In addition, Trusts is supporting the use of fortified rice in ICDS and mid-day meal scheme in three districts of Andhra Pradesh reaching out to 7 lakh beneficiaries.

The Trusts in partnership with PATH (a global team of innovators to accelerate health equity so people of all communities can thrive), is supporting Akshaya Patra’s pilot rice fortification programme for the mid-day meal kitchen, which runs in Lucknow. Around 100,000 children are beneficiaries of this scheme.

Total number of beneficiaries of rice fortification is approximately 50 lakh. The states covered include Uttar Pradesh. Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.