Attachments
Highlights
India’s Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, led by Mr Pralhad Joshi, launched a supply chain optimization tool for the Public Distribution System, which serves over 800 million people under the National Food Security Act (NFSA). . The tool, Anna Chakra, developed by WFP and IIT-Delhi, is expected to save US$30–40 million nationwide annually and reduce carbon emissions by over 30 per cent. The launch on 5 December comes following successful pilots in Odisha and Uttarakhand.
Operational Updates
Social Protection and Supply Chain
• WFP and the Indian Grain Storage Management and Research Institute launched a one-year study programme to aid evidence-based scale-up of SMART warehouse solution across seven states. A research methodology training was also held for research fellows and warehouse managers in December 2024.
• After successful pilot of flospan, a semi-permanent storage solution introduced by WFP, the Department of Food and Public Distribution has recommended its use in hilly areas. The flospans enhance foodgrain storage capabilities and minimize losses, strengthening India’s public distribution system, particularly in hard-to-reach areas.
• A roundtable was jointly organized by the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, and WFP on 31 January 2025, on National Food Security Act. The event discussed the achievements of the programmes under this Act and explored its future possibilities.
Nutrition and School Feeding
• WFP continued to support the capacity strengthening of stakeholders for the introduction of fortified rice in food safety nets through training and sensitization campaigns in several states. Education and food department officials were trained in Kerala, Odisha, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Bihar. WFP also inked two Memoranda of Understanding with universities in Assam and Maharashtra to establish technical support units for better sustainability of the activities.
• An impressive 45 million viewers tuned in to a talk show on rice fortification aired by state broadcaster in Bihar in December as part of WFP continued awareness campaign on fortified rice in Bihar, Chhattisgarh, and Assam. The campaign in Chhattisgarh engaged 3,000 people through cooking demonstrations, street plays, and quizzes. In Assam, 24,000 individuals were sensitized through 37 cooking demonstrations, over 200 street plays, and rallies in 29 schools.
• WFP published two documents; one report analysing the varied school meals menus across India as well as their nutrition values, and the other showcasing steps taken to improve the quality of take-home rations under India’s Integrated Child Development Services.