Second International Conference on Nutrition (ICN +20) - Global ...

To undertake such tasks, it will be useful to promote the formation of a Farmers’
Council for Nutrition Security in each agro-ecological region, comprising of both
men and women farmers and a Home Science graduate trained in Nutrition. Such a
Council can undertake the task of spreading nutrition literacy among farm families,
and at the same time help in the adoption of cropping and farming systems which
address the nutritional challenges faced by local families. Such local level Farmers’
Councils can join together and form a National Council of Farmers for Nutrition
Security at the country level. Ultimately, with the help of FAO, WHO, UNICEF,
IFAD, WFP and UNDP, a Global Council of farmers for Nutrition Security can be
established.
Concerted efforts are now in progress to integrate nutritional factors in crop
improvement research. For example, CGIAR’s Harvest Plus programme aims to
enrich staple grains with micronutrients like Fe, Vitamin A, Zinc, etc as shown in
Annexure 1.
Beta carotene rich Sweet potato is another easily available source of Vitamin-A.
Children like mashed sweet potato and the crop grows well under a wide range of
conditions. Many of the major and minor millets are rich in protein. Instead of
referring to them as coarse cereals, they should be classified as “Nutri-cereals”.
Such minor millets are also more climate resilient and hence will become important in
an era of climate change.
Public policy measures should help to enlarge the food basket so as to add nutrition-
rich grains in daily consumption. An important step in this direction is being taken in
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