The Akshaya Patra Foundation has launched a pilot programme in partnership with the Government of Karnataka to introduce millets in the mid-day meal scheme with an aim to enhance the nutritional intake of the beneficiaries. The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) will be the knowledge partner guiding this approach.
In the initial phase, children will receive millet-based items like upma, bisibelebath, sweet and khara pongal twice a week in addition to the existing mid-day meal menu from Akshaya Patra’s centralised kitchens. The implementation will be undertaken in a phased and systematic approach under the direction of leading subject matter experts and nutritionists.
The global Smart Food movement initiated by ICRISAT has been developed with the aim to mainstream selected Smart Foods, back as a staple, in their traditional countries across Asia and Africa – bringing diversity in diets, and on the farm.
Other organisations who will contribute to this initiative are Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Swaminathan Foundation (MSSRF), National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR), and other government and industry groups.