India: Doubling Impact by Doubling Districts

In Haryana state, India, COVID-19 did not stop millers from fortifying.

In fact, the demand for—and supply of—fortified flour increased thanks to the Haryana Government and FFI’s hard work to expand access.

By the end of 2020, Haryana successfully scaled up the distribution of fortified atta, a whole meal wheat flour used to make flatbreads such as chapati, to the entire state—a total of 22 districts—through the Mid-Day Meal program (MDM) and Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS). Additionally, FFI assisted the Haryana State Co-operative Marketing and Supply Federation in vetting more than 50 millers across Haryana to ensure they can produce fortified atta to standards--and that the states supply for fortified atta could meet demand.

Though Haryana made significant progress in 2020, it was not easy. During COVID-19 restrictions, many mill workers returned to their home states and production slowed, causing a slight delay in the distribution of fortified atta. For some millers, the price of premix and packaging material increased as a result of increased demand and limited premix production. Additionally, during India’s country-wide lockdown, FFI was unable to make in-person visits to mills. Instead, the FFI India team turned to their telephones to connect with millers, collect data, provide technical assistance, engineer solutions to COVID-19 challenges, and help set up processes and systems to improve compliance to state fortification standards.

With lockdowns lifted and the success of Haryana’s MDM and ICDS, the FFI team will focus their efforts in 2021 to scale up distribution of fortified atta through the Public Distribution System from five to 22 districts, a goal that will ultimately ensure 12.6 million people have access to essential micronutrients like iron and folic acid.