UN WFP Ties Up With Bengaluru NGO to Fight Malnutrition, Hunger in India

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in India has partnered with The Akshaya Patra Foundation to enhance the effectiveness of the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM-POSHAN) scheme, which was earlier known as the Mid-Day Meal Scheme. WFP India country director Bishow Parajuli signed an agreement with Chanchalapthi Dasa, Vice Chairman of the Bengaluru-based NGO in New Delhi on Monday.

“The partnership is a strategic force multiplier bringing deep work and experience together. Since its inception in 1961, school meals have been part of WFP’s mission. WFP has six decades of experience supporting school feeding and a trajectory of working with more than 100 countries to set up sustainable national school feeding programmes,” according to a press statement quoting Parajuli.

He also added that “India’s excellent track record of school feeding programmes and various associated initiatives can be of interest to other countries”.

Dasa said India has taken strides in achieving food security, and the school feeding programme in India has ensured food security for school children. “With this partnership, we aim to complement WFP’s global network of running large-scale feeding programmes across the world with our expertise in addressing hunger at the grassroots level,” he added.