Attachments
Highlights
Scaling Impact for a Food-Secure World, a multimedia exhibition, was held at the WFP headquarters in Rome in February 2025, coinciding with WFP’s first regular session of the Executive Board. The exhibition showcased innovations developed by WFP in India was inaugurated by Carl Skau, Deputy Executive Director, in the presence of Mr. Sanjeev Chopra, Secretary of the Department of Food and Public Distribution, Government of India; H.E. Ambassador Vani Rao; and the Joint Secretary of the Department of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, among others. Watch the virtual exhibition
Operational Updates
Social Protection and Supply Chain
- WFP continues to support the Department of Food and Public Distribution in enhancing the storage efficiency of grains within the Public Distribution System (PDS). The SMART Warehouse solution has been implemented in 15 warehouses across five locations nationwide. This initiative utilises sensor-based monitoring, real-time inventory tracking, and AI-driven analytics to minimise storage losses and improve management.
- Following the successful implementation of supply chain optimisation for the PDS, the Department has approved phase 2 of this initiative. Building on the achievements of supply chain optimisation, or Anna Chakra, which so far resulted in US$15 million in annual savings across 12 states, phase 2 will focus on optimising linkages between procurement centres and mills to reduce transportation costs and enhance efficiency.
Nutrition and School Feeding
- WFP has extended technical support for rice fortification in ten states. Nearly 300 food department officials in Bihar and 171 in Tripura have been trained as master trainers. Quality assurance training involved 44 rice millers in Bihar, 15 in Uttarakhand, and 55 from the State Food and Drug Administration. Government officials from Bihar, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and Kerala were sensitised on the consumption of fortified rice. Additionally, 698 Anganwadi (government-funded child and mother care centres) workers in Odisha were trained to prepare fortified rice.
- Since the inception of the Take Home Ration (THR) project, over 193,000 mt of fortified blended foods have been produced in Uttar Pradesh, benefiting over 1.2 million people. The Uttar Pradesh Government approved new recipes for THR developed by WFP, aligned with the national guidelines. In February-March 2025, about 89 mt
- THR products were produced and distributed in Jaipur, while Odisha provided 66 mt of THR and 38 mt of other nutritious foods to over 14,000 beneficiaries.
- WFP, in partnership with Haryana's School Education Department, is establishing nutrition gardens in selected schools in four districts. This initiative aims to diversify school meals with fresh vegetables and enhance children's local food and nutrition knowledge. Over 1,000 schools have implemented these gardens, with orientations for teachers and community members to ensure sustainability.