Patna: The National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM), Kundli, is partnering with the Global Alliance of Improved Nutrition (GAIN), Nidan, and the Bihar Rural Livelihood Promotion Society (Jeevika) to optimise Take Home Ration (THR) for Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) beneficiaries. This collaboration spans five decentralised production units in the districts of Bodhgaya, Khagaria, and Muzaffarpur.
The joint effort focuses on standardising and upgrading THR to ensure consistency in sensory attributes, nutritional value, and quality across all units. NIFTEM is assessing the current machinery in these units and exploring the use of existing processing lines to produce value-added products for various age groups and commercial purposes.
Dr. Komal Chauhan, Dean of Research and Outreach at NIFTEM and the principal investigator of the project, recently visited the units in Muzaffarpur and Bodhgaya. She was accompanied by representatives from GAIN, including Asia Project Coordinator Javits Jeyaraj Rajendran, and members of Nidan, such as Mr. Rakesh, Mr. Deepak, and Ms. Bharti. During her visit, Dr. Chauhan met with Mr. Himanshu Sharma, CEO and State Mission Director of Jeevika, to discuss the operationalisation of the plants and the establishment of links with the Women and Child Development department in Bihar to facilitate the distribution of THR to all ICDS beneficiaries in the three districts.
Dr. Chauhan stressed the importance of micronutrient-fortified THR in improving the nutritional status of children, adolescent girls, and pregnant and lactating women. To strengthen the initiative, discussions were held on establishing tie-ups with the Food Corporation of India (FCI) for the supply of staples such as wheat and rice at subsidised rates. The talks also explored the potential for expanding THR distribution across Bihar with support from GAIN and Nidan, thereby enhancing access to nutritious THR for vulnerable sections of society.
The collaboration aims to link nutrition-sensitive social protection with community-based women’s enterprises to improve livelihoods in the state. NIFTEM and GAIN also engaged in discussions with a social protection research partner to bolster Self-Help Groups (SHGs), promote sustainable business practices, and support their efforts towards nutritional empowerment.
Dr. Chauhan mentioned that field-level investigators would be appointed in the three districts to conduct pre-assessments of the units and market assessments for consumer acceptability of value-added products. The partnership with Jeevika not only aims to create a workforce skilled in large-scale food fortification but also to enhance their livelihoods.
Dr. Harinder Oberoi, Director of NIFTEM, highlighted the importance of integrating advanced food processing technologies and providing continuous guidance to ensure the project’s success. He emphasised the need to develop safe, nutritious, palatable, and healthy food products in addition to THR to improve nutritional outcomes and livelihoods in Bihar. Dr. Oberoi also noted that NIFTEM students could work as interns with Jeevika, contributing to this noble cause.
