Creating an enabling environment for large-scale food fortification in India

• Jul 26, 2025
• 1 min

The integration of fortified foods into India’s food security programs is a complex challenge that requires coordination across government departments, optimized supply chains, and alignment with private sector stakeholders. However, despite the importance of food fortification, several barriers exist in both the public and private sectors. Therefore, advocacy and policy support are crucial in building a strong, fortified food ecosystem.

MSC worked closely with the Department of Food and Public Distribution to secure key stakeholders’ commitments to include fortified staples in India’s social safety net programs. MSC established a collaborative platform to improve coordination between central and state governments. We organized regional learning workshops that facilitated knowledge exchange among food fortification stakeholders. We also developed knowledge briefs that provided insights into the current status of food fortification in India and its future opportunities. Additionally, MSC supported the formulation of quality standards and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for fortified rice processing and distribution.

MSC’s efforts helped shape government policies and quality standards for fortified rice processing and distribution. The project accelerated the rollout of the rice fortification program, which benefited 800 million people through the distribution of fortified rice. More than 200 stakeholders actively participated in the learning workshops, which led to stronger policy commitments. The intervention also helped resolve challenges within the food fortification ecosystem.

The Gates Foundation funded this project to support the Government of India’s goal to improve nutrition through large-scale food fortification.