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WFP India Country Brief, June 2018

Countries
India
Sources
WFP
Publication date

Highlights

  • WFP provides technical assistance to Government of India (GoI) safety-nets reaching 800 million people.

  • Through WFP advocacy for rice fortification the GoI declared its intention to fortify rice in all food based safety nets, starting with 115 districts.

  • WFP India Trust and Ericsson signed a two-year partnership agreement to develop ICT solutions that will bring efficiencies across the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) in Odisha.

  • WFP India’s operations are fully-funded for the next six months thanks to a strong partnership with the Government of India.

Operational Updates

  • In June, WFP’s Regional Director visited India and had high-level strategic meetings with the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Food, the Vice-Chair of the NITI Aayog and Senior GOI officials.

  • As part of reforms under the National Food Security Act 2013, the WFP-supported Central Programme Management Unit (CPMU) has developed training modules on best practices for District Supply Officers across India. Training has been completed for 19 states until June 2018.

  • The Concept Note of the Country Strategic Plan was approved in April 2018 and the full CSP is posted for presentation at the November 2018 Executive Board.

  • With a series of policy level meetings with senior Government officials, micronutrient fortification is now a key element under National Nutrition Mission (NNM). WFP drafted a plan for roll out of mandatory fortification in all food based safety nets. WFP has prepared a report on ‘mainstreaming fortified rice in India, a costing analysis’, widely circulated at national and sub-national levels. This resulted in the announcement by the Ministry of Food for roll out of fortified rice through NFSA schemes in the 115 “Aspirational districts” – these are backward districts identified by the NITI Aayog for special interventions.

  • In Dhenkanal district of Odisha, WFP reached 129,485 school children aged 6-14 years by fortifying the school meals provided by the government with minerals and vitamins. WFP conducted 310 street plays, and other communication activities. The end line evaluation is scheduled for August-September 2018. Model kitchens in two schools in Dhenkanal were inaugurated on 03 July.

  • WFP’s support to Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) transformation in Odisha state will augment with Ericsson funding. WFP will develop customised ICT solutions for Data Analytics and Supply Chain management helping the Government to ensure food security of nearly 30 million beneficiaries.

  • On 03 June, the Minister of Food launched the Direct Benefits Transfer (DBT) handbook prepared with support from WFP. The handbook is a guide/tool for the State Governments wishing to implement cash based transfers.

  • WFP ceased all support to TPDS in Kerala. End–to end computerization is covering the entire state and the Government of Kerala (GoK) will drive further reforms on its own.

  • In Kerala, WFP is piloting the reduction of micronutrient malnutrition among children below three years of age by fortifying Take-Home Rations (THR) provided through the Integrated Child Development Services. Under WFP’s pilot project in Wayanad, a women’s group has been trained to produce fortified THR reaching 3,516 children each month. The endline evaluation for the project starts in July. Beginning in August, the GoK will completely take-over and scale-up the project in the entire district of Wayanad and later in all districts of Kerala using state resources.

  • As part of WFP’s partnership with the Government of Uttar Pradesh (GoUP), the government process to acquire and deploy electronic point of sale devices for rural fair price shops is supported.

  • WFP supports the Department of Basic Education,
    Government of Uttar Pradesh in piloting mid-day meal fortification in Varanasi district. The micronutrient composition and project evaluation methodology are approved by the Technical Advisory Group Committee. Hiring of partners is currently in process. A children’s design competition was successfully conducted in May.

  • Work towards development of a National Food Security Atlas is progressing well with the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.
    Odisha’s Food Security Atlas draft is being reviewed by experts and is likely to be released in August.