Fortify Health

Fortify Health aims to improve hundreds of thousands
of lives by tackling anaemia and neural tube defects
in India, through the medium of flour fortification.

Who are we?

Fortify Health supports millers and state governments in India to introduce fortified atta (aka wheat flour) into the open market and into government safety net schemes, respectively. We fortify atta with three essential micronutrients: iron, folic acid and vitamin B12. Fortification is a practice which has been consistently identified as an effective, evidence-based public health intervention in terms of reducing iron deficiency anaemia at scale.

GiveWell has directed three incubation grants to Fortify Health since 2018. Our most recent evaluation with GiveWell was completed in December 2021. The full grant recommendation write-up is here.

Fortify Health aims to reach at least 4.5 million people by 2025 through a combination of open market channels and government safety net schemes. Our work is primarily focused in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal, and soon, Hyderabad.

What Is Fortification?

Fortification is the addition of vital micronutrients to food, usually staple foods such as flour, salt, oil, milk or rice. Boosting consumption of these micronutrients, to ensure adequate intake is attained through the existing food supply, ensures long-term health benefits. Our focus is on reducing anaemia, as well as its downstream consequences.