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Because of India’s population and potential for programme scale, improvements to its systems can change the world statistics in various sectors.
World Food Programme (WFP) is supporting rice fortification efforts in India and has expertise in implementing pilots. From 2012 to 2015, WFP conducted a rice fortification pilot in Odisha; unlike PATH they took on a decentralised approach to rice fortification. Summary of rice fortification process: “The rice is fortified with Fortified Rice Kernels (FRK), which are manufactured by combining rice powder with iron and converting this powder into rice-like kernels using cold-extrusion technology. The micronutrient fortified rice kernels closely resemble the sheen, transparency, consistency and flavour of rice. The fortified kernels are then blended at a ratio of 1:100 with the ordinary rice provided by the Government of Odisha.” In 2017 WFP published a report on A Case for Fortified Rice, outlining the results of their pilot in Gajapati, Odisha. WFP are working to move away from conducting pilots and to begin implementing full, large-scale programmes. However, when approaching new states, this proves difficult, because states generally request a pilot relevant to their particular state before implementation of a full programme. An advocacy model alone does not work in India; a multifaceted approach is required when it comes to acceptance and implementation of fortification programmes. World Food Programme thinks Fortify Health could contribute by:
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