Indian scientist wins award for fortifying millet

Context

Telangana-based agriculture scientist Mahalingam Govindaraj has won the coveted 2022 Norman E. Borlaug Award for Field Research and Application for developing a variety of pearl millet rich in iron and zinc.

• The variety, named Dhanashakti, is the world’s first biofortified pearl millet or bajra which was released for cultivation in 2014.
  
  
  

What is Food fortification?

• It is the process of adding micronutrients (essential trace elements and vitamins) to food.
• Food fortification is a proven and effective strategy to meet the nutritional needs of a large number of people across various sections of the society.
• The efficacy of the fortification standards introduced by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) will depend on enforcement.

Advantages

• Reduces the risk of death from infectious diseases. 
• Standards-based fortification can help advance overall health goals, starting with maternal health.
• Fortified foods can help fill the gaps, in need of speedy remedial nutrition. 
• It prevents and eliminates the nutritional deficiencies.

Various efforts taken by India in this regard

• Milk cooperatives in Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Assam and Maharashtra are fortifying their products.
• Targeting children, the Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh governments have begun using fortified oil for their mid-day meal schemes.
• West Bengal and Andaman and Nicobar Islands are now distributing fortified wheat flour through the public distribution system
• The Maharashtra government has started a pilot project.
• The FSSAI is also working with small local suppliers, for instance local flour grinding mills, to get them to add premixed micronutrients.