Annapoorna Trust Secretary’s Talk during the International Nutri Cereal Convention
The objective of this convention was to bring together all the stakeholders from the Nutri Cereals industry, from producers to processors, and in turn to consumers as well as researchers, academicians, and policymakers, who are working across the value chain to engage in meaningful and actionable discussions for the promotion of Nutri Cereals across the country.
During this convention, our co-founder and secretary, Mr. Kadali Anand Kumar, presented our work during a panel discussion on the topic of “Emerging Research on the Health Benefits of Millets: Throwing light on meta-analysis.”
Other panellists who were part of the discussion were,
- Dr. Jaya Benjamin, ILBS, New Delhi
- Dr. Govindraj, HarvestPlus India
- Dr. Bhaskarchary, Former DD, ICMR-NIN
- Dr. Faraz Farishta FS. Endocrinology
- Dr. Richa Malik Head, Nutrition – Anil Agarwal Foundation
- Dr. R. Ananthan ICMR, NIN
Mr. Anand spoke on the occasion regarding Malt and Millet-based intervention by Annapoorna Trust by providing free morning nutrition to 3 million school children across the nation.
He made the audience know the importance of morning nutrition, which is taken for granted by most of the people living in metros and cities. In contrast to that, millions of children across the nation are deprived of proper morning breakfast and hence prone to malnutrition. The result is that more than 50% of our children are malnourished. Even if some have anything in the wee hours, it will only be a small cup of tea, biscuits, or any packaged food. Common children are not used to having a healthy breakfast in the morning.
Annapoorna Trust has spearheaded this cause by providing free morning nutrition through malt or millet-based intervention in government schools. It only costs 0.5 Rs/child. This nutrition intervention is low in cost and highly scalable. He called upon people to come forward and join the noble cause until, “No child goes to school Hungry, Ever!”
The commendable outcomes of our efforts were acknowledged with the prestigious Poshak Anaaj Award 2023, recognizing us as the Best NGO for Social Impact. This accolade underscores our commitment to enhancing nutrition and well-being. As we continue to make strides in this crucial domain, we invite you to be a part of India’s largest fortified morning nutrition program. Join us in this transformative journey, contributing to the collective goal of fostering a healthier and nourished society.