IIMR, Akshaya Patra Foundation sign MoU to integrate millets under PM POSHAN scheme

Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR) and the Akshaya Patra Foundation on Monday said they have signed an MoU to integrate millets under the PM POSHAN scheme to increase the consumption of millets and thereby help improving children's nutritional status.

The collaboration is an initiative towards the run-up for 2023 as the International Year of Millets led by the Government of India.

With an aim to further research and promote diversified, balanced and healthy diets through the sustainable production and consumption of climate-resilient and nutritious millet in various feeding programmes and integration of millets in PM POSHAN scheme (formerly known as the Mid-Day Meal Scheme) in various states, the Akshaya Patra Foundation joined hands with the Nutrihub incubator of IIMR, a release said.

The partnership aims to collaborate on menu development and study efficacy, coordinate to assess the feasibility of millet products or grains through mid-day meals in various states and look at possible PPP (private-public partnerships) for scaling up on a national level.

''We intend to reach millions of children with healthy, well-accepted food that promotes their physical, cognitive and social development by leveraging scientific and practical knowledge in fortification and school meal development and delivery,'' Anant Arora, Chief Communications and Sustainability Officer, Akshaya Patra Foundation said.

As the largest school feeding programme in the world with a coverage of 120 million children, India's PM POSHAN scheme offers a tremendous opportunity to address micronutrient deficiencies, and improve schooling effectiveness, and inter-generational opportunity, particularly for girl children, the release said.

''Through this partnership with Akshaya Patra, we aim to democratise its production as well as usage and bring back this superfood to the plates of the Indian population, starting first by securing the well-being of the children of this country,'' Dr Dayakar Rao, CEO, Nutrihub & PS, ICAR–IIMR said.

On the distribution side, Akshaya Patra reaches nearly 1.8 million children every day through its 65 kitchens across 14 states and two Union Territories.