Bayer takes on micronutrient deficiencies in rural and peri-urban communities in India

To tackle this widespread gap in nutrition, Bayer partnered with reach52, a last-mile health tech social enterprise, to launch its Nutrient Gap Initiative in 2023

Micronutrient deficiencies affect more than two billion people globally, with nearly half living in India. A 2021 study revealed that the average Indian diet meets only 70 per cent or less of essential nutrient requirements, with critical deficiencies in calcium, iodine, and iron, with the remaining 30 per cent of nutrient needs needing to be complemented, e.g. with supplementation. To tackle this widespread gap in nutrition, Bayer partnered with reach52, a last-mile health tech social enterprise, to launch its Nutrient Gap Initiative in 2023. As a part of the initiative, they launched a health campaign to enhance awareness among the underserved communities in peri-urban and rural areas, on the importance of attaining 100 per cent nutrition, through diverse diet and essential supplementation.

The pilot projects of the campaign in Karnataka (Chikkabalapur, Bangalore) and Uttar Pradesh (Mirzapur) engaged over 80,000 residents (47,432 in Karnataka, 33,895 in Uttar Pradesh). The campaign started with research to understand the community’s knowledge and behaviour on dietary diversity, supplement usage, and their potential links to health outcomes.

Sandeep Verma, Country Head for India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka at Bayer Consumer Health, said, “India is a priority for our global Nutrient Gap Initiative due to the high prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies, that significantly impact overall economic productivity. We want to help India achieve 100 per cent nutrition through our expertise in nutritional health, including essential supplements and sustainable food production. Our pilot projects in Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh have shown initial positive shifts in attitudes towards nutrition, but we still see a major gap in awareness of the importance of 100 per cent nutrition and how to achieve it. Based on the learnings, we will further intensify our efforts to address micronutrient deficiencies by extending our partnership with reach52 to reach 50,000 residents across Uttar Pradesh by the end of 2025, with specific indices to measure improvement in awareness levels and nutritional status.”