Vitamin Angels India is partnering with UNICEF India to address under-nutrition in the country. In line with the government’s POSHAN Maah campaign, the partnerships aim to spread nutrition-related awareness.

But on a more expanded level, the partnership also includes the Poshan Innovation Platform initiative to be launched in January 2023 with the same objective.

The initiative calls for innovative ideas on the maternal, infant, and young child nutrition interventions from across the country, particularly from educational institutions, civil society networks, and businesses, said a note on the initiative.

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The aim is to improve the nutritional status of mothers and children under five-years. The platform aims to facilitate the development of ideas, with expert mentors and seed funding from the private sector.

Major challenges ahead

“While the fifth National Family Health Survey (2019-2021) has indicated a slight improvement in under-nutrition indicators, several other associated factors like anemia and Vitamin A deficiency in children continue to be major challenges, particularly affecting those from socio-economically marginalised groups who lack access to micronutrient-rich diets,” said Sunish Jauhari, President, Vitamin Angels India.

The launch of the Poshan Innovation Platform will allow new ideas with proof of concept to emerge, collaborate, scale, and grow, he added.

Siddartha Shrestha, Chief Social and Behaviour Change Communication, UNICEF India, said, “The partnership initiatives have the potential to improve nutrition literacy in the country.”

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