Government Joins hands with WFP and Cargill to Defeat Malnutrition in India

It's a company-wide commitment to contributing resources and applying our knowledge and experience to help meet economic, environmental and social challenges wherever we operate.

1/18/2011 --- Senior officials from the Government of Madhya Pradesh and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and project donor Cargill have come together to maximize the impact of a WFP nutrition programme, and mark their commitment towards the eradication of malnutrition and hunger.

On 12 January, the three partners, along with other UN agencies and nutrition specialists, will participate in a two-day consultative workshop on a WFP nutrition project aimed at helping to reduce child malnutrition and break the vicious cycle of nutritional deficiency.

Cargill has pledged US$ 3 million (Rs 14 crore) for the project, which will be implemented by the Government of Madhya Pradesh in collaboration with WFP.

The initiative is expected to benefit about 10 lakh (1 million) people, mainly children under the age of six, as well as pregnant and nursing women in 766 villages across the three districts of Chhattarpur, Tikamgarh and Panna.

The project plan includes the training of government workers for increased efficiency in services, food fortification for better nutrition, the promotion of safe drinking water to bring down associated diseases, and the establishment of household kitchen gardens to promote a healthy diet as well as provide a means of earning income.

Under this project, alternative employment opportunities will also be provided to local women's groups to increase their understanding of nutrition and hygiene practices for the overall improved health of women and children.

The two-day workshop aims to explore ways of integrating different government health and nutrition programmes with this project such as the recently inaugurated Atal Bal Mission, so that the targeted communities will benefit the most. In order to achieve this, core project implementers, along with grassroots government workers have come together to take the project forward.

To understand in greater detail the causes behind malnutrition, a baseline survey will be commissioned among identified families to find out their consumption patterns, economic problems as well as the social difficulties they face.

"It is our proud privilege to partner with the Government of Madhya Pradesh and Cargill on this important initiative to strengthen the government's service delivery in the state. We, along with our donors and the government, stand committed to decrease malnutrition among the most vulnerable so that they are able to lead healthier and more productive lives," said Mihoko Tamamura, WFP Representative for India.

"It's a company-wide commitment to contributing resources and applying our knowledge and experience to help meet economic, environmental and social challenges wherever we operate. In India, we help to nourish the people and possibilities that reside in local communities through programmes that improve nutrition, health, education and livelihoods. We are confident that the combined efforts of the Madhya Pradesh State Government and the WFP will realize fast and effective outcomes. Cargill hopes that the success of this project will enable the development of a scalable model for India to improve nutrition and food security," said Ishteyaque Amjad, Director - Corporate Affairs, Cargill India.

Among those who participated in the consultative workshop were Divisional Commissioner, Sagar, Mr S K Vaid, District Magistrate, Chhattarpur, Mr Akhilesh Srivastava, District Magistrate, Tikamgarh, Mr K C Jain, District Magistrate, Panna, Mr E. Ramesh, officials from Unicef, Micronutrient Initiative (MI), Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) and the Government of Japan.

Cargill's project partnership with WFP is part of its "Nourishing India" initiative. 'A multi-pronged and diversified approach, it aims to meet its objectives through, oil fortification to address micronutrient/ vitamin deficiency, launch of India Food Banking Network to address inefficiencies in distribution and delivery mechanism, Fast Track Nutrition Program with WFP to address the issue of hunger hotspots and extensive public and policy advocacy with the help of partner NGOs.

In Madhya Pradesh, undernutrition is a major public health challenge. An undernourished child is unable to develop properly and suffers damage to mental and physical development that is irreversible. Recent scientific research has shown that interventions should focus on the early years in a child's life.