In a major step towards addressing hidden hunger and micronutrient deficiencies in India, Millers for Nutrition, powered by TechnoServe, in association with the CII Food and Agriculture Centre of Excellence, convened policymakers, food industry leaders, millers, nutrition experts, and development sector stakeholders at the National Convening of Staple Food Industry Leaders for Developing a Roadmap on Scaling-Up Staple Food Fortification, held at the India Habitat Centre.
The convening emerged as a significant national platform aimed at fostering collaboration across the food industry and creating a practical roadmap to accelerate the large-scale adoption of fortified staple foods across edible oil, rice, and wheat flour categories. Discussions focused on enhancing industry participation, strengthening consumer awareness and trust, expanding retail and commercial adoption, and developing sustainable market-driven solutions to tackle malnutrition and hidden hunger in the country.
Monojit Indra, Senior Practice Leader at TechnoServe and Programme Leader for Millers for Nutrition Asia, said that while India has made meaningful progress in staple food fortification, addressing hidden hunger at scale will require deeper collaboration across the food industry ecosystem. He noted that the convening helped strengthen alignment between industry leaders, development partners, and policymakers to accelerate the adoption of fortified staple foods and create sustainable pathways for nutrition impact.
Abhishek Shukla, Country Programme Manager for Millers for Nutrition India, highlighted that the discussions reinforced the transformative role fortification can play in strengthening nutrition security in India. He added that the collective commitment shown by stakeholders reflects growing momentum towards scaling fortified staples through market-led approaches, stronger industry partnerships, and increased consumer awareness.