A joint report by ASSOCHAM and the global professional services firm EY (Ernst & Young) has suggested the Government of India a two-pronged strategy based on public-private partnership (PPP) mode to promote nutritious, diversified and resilient food production.
In order to cater to the large unmet need of both macronutrients and micronutrients, the report has stated that India must bring about both policy and practice level reforms that ensure easy access of low cost and nutritious food to the people.
The ASSOCHAM-EY study also said that it is extremely critical to spread awareness among the community on importance of a balanced and diverse diet, and empowering them, especially women, to make smarter nutrition choices for themselves and their families.
The report also suggested the need to shift focus to a crop-neutral agricultural policy that reduces the bias towards particular staple commodities and encourages farmers to respond to the market demands.
It added that bio-fortification would prove to be a more effective strategy in India as it is cost-effective and has the ability to reach the rural population. Such initiatives need to be scaled up to ensure that a larger proportion of population can reap its benefits.