The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), along with the Fortified Whole Grain Alliance (FWGA), organised a stakeholder workshop in Hyderabad to launch a new initiative focused on improving whole grain nutrition. Backed by the Novo Nordisk Foundation, the programme aims to encourage the use of healthier grains such as millets, sorghum, and pulses in daily diets while strengthening food processing technologies and nutrition awareness.



The project will be implemented over three years in India, Uganda, and Ethiopia, with a special focus on introducing nutritious whole grain foods into school meal programmes. Experts involved in the initiative believe that improving children’s diets at an early stage can help address malnutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, and rising lifestyle-related health problems. The programme also aims to expand access to healthy and sustainable meals for millions of schoolchildren in the coming years.



During the workshop, researchers, policymakers, nutrition specialists, and food industry representatives discussed the challenges associated with promoting whole grain foods. These included limited consumer awareness, inadequate processing systems, food safety concerns, and difficulties in building strong supply chains for millet-based products. Participants highlighted the importance of cooperation between agriculture, health, and nutrition sectors to make healthy foods more affordable and accessible.



Experts at the event emphasised that climate-resilient crops like millets and sorghum can play a major role in creating sustainable food systems while supporting farmers’ livelihoods. They noted that including these grains in public nutrition programmes can improve health outcomes and encourage the cultivation of nutritious traditional crops. The discussions also focused on developing better policies, improving grain processing infrastructure, and creating long-term strategies to increase the consumption of whole grains across communities.