Introduction

As part of our collaborative efforts at Development Consortium (DC), we are proud to support Fortify Health, a partner initiative dedicated to combating nutritional deficiencies in India. This project focuses on fortifying wheat flour—atta—with iron, folic acid, and vitamin B12 to address iron deficiency anaemia and neural tube defects. Targeting key regions such as Maharashtra and West Bengal, Fortify Health aligns with our commitment to enhancing public health through sustainable interventions.

Background

Fortify Health was initiated in 2017, sparked by the urgent question: How can one fill a gap to improve public health at scale cost-effectively? This inquiry led to the recognition of the rampant and severe impact of anaemia across India, prompting the need for decisive action.

With over 52.2% of pregnant women and 67.1% of young children suffering from anaemia, the project identified a critical avenue for intervention. In 2018, thanks to a grant from GiveWell, Fortify Health embarked on its mission to enhance the nutritional content of wheat flour at scale, making a significant step towards public health improvement.

Goals and Objectives

The project’s vision is to build a healthier world where everyone has the micronutrients they need to survive and thrive. In India, more than 52.2% of pregnant women suffer from Anaemia (NFHS-5), and 67.1% of young children in India suffer from Anemia (NFHS-5).

The project understands that anaemia has a range of negative health effects as it causes tiredness, fatigue, impairment of physical growth and cognitive development, and leads to adverse reproductive outcomes (WHO, 2023). In an attempt to combat anemia, the project looks at nutrition as a key facet in strength and hence, the project focuses on the solution of fortification.

The objectives of Fortify Health are centred around four main pillars:

Implementation Strategy

Fortify Health adopts a multi-faceted approach to fortification. The project partners with local atta millers to encourage the addition of essential vitamins and minerals into wheat flour. This collaboration is facilitated through the provision of equipment, high-quality premixes for fortification, and comprehensive training to ensure adherence to the standards set by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

Moreover, Fortify Health actively engages with government authorities to ensure that fortified atta is incorporated into various government-sponsored programs, including school meals and the public distribution system (PDS).

Impact and Future Direction

Since its establishment, Fortify Health has successfully fortified 19,889 metric tonnes of atta monthly. Through partnerships with 74 mill operators across India, the project has reached an estimated 3.2 million beneficiaries each month. The ongoing expansion efforts include extending operations to two additional mills in Maharashtra and negotiating with eight more mills in both Maharashtra and West Bengal.

Additionally, Fortify Health is actively engaging with state governments to include fortified wheat flour in school meal programs and to conduct diagnostic studies on fortification in the PDS system in West Bengal.

With its sustained impact and expansion plans, Fortify Health is poised to continue making a significant difference in the nutritional health landscape of India, thereby supporting DC's overarching goal of improving public health through strategic partnerships and innovative health solutions.

Click  here to find out more about this project.