Samposhan – A Pathway to Nutritional Security in Koraput, Odisha
Nutrition and Health
Nutrition and Health
At the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF), the Nutrition and Health (NH) Programme champions sustainable solutions for food and nutrition security. Launched in 2004, and expanded in 2018, the programme addresses the urgent challenges of hunger, malnutrition, gender inequality, and climate change — aligned with global goals like SDG2 (Zero Hunger), SDG3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG5 (Gender Equality), and SDG13 (Climate Action).
Our Objectives
The Nutrition & Health programme aims to:
Enhance household food diversity and nutrient intake using a life-cycle approach.
Diversify food production through sustainable, climate-resilient agriculture.
Promote access to safe drinking water, sanitation, and WASH practices.
Our core philosophy integrates community resilience, ecological sustainability, and gender equity at every step.
How We Work
- Implementation Research for Development: We drive participatory research and action on Farming Systems for Nutrition (FSN) and nutrient-dense crops to boost food security from the grassroots level.
- Policy Analysis and Advocacy: We analyse policies on sustainable food and nutrition systems, sharing findings through publications, webinars, workshops, and dialogues with policymakers and institutions.
- Capacity Building: We train a wide range of stakeholders — from school children and women’s self-help groups to farmers, PRI members, and community resource persons — using customized modules focused on nutrition-sensitive agriculture.
- Community-Based Interventions: By forming grassroots institutions, we strengthen collective action for food security, health, and resilience.
Partnerships and Linkages
We collaborate across MSSRF’s programme areas:
- Eco-Technology: Supporting farmers with sustainable equipment and post-harvest technologies.
- Biotechnology: Enhancing biodiversity through seed banks and bio-input production.
- Cross-Cutting Themes: Gender equality, climate adaptation, and policy advocacy strengthen our integrated approach.
Research and Publications
Our pioneering research explores:
- State of Food Insecurity Reports
- Agricultural Crisis Studies
- Feeding Programme Analyses (like Mid-day Meals and Maternity Entitlements)
- Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP) – empowering women farmers
- Community Hunger Fighters and Community Grain Banks
- Home Gardens and Participatory Health Research
- Farming Systems for Nutrition research under the LANSA initiative
Through inspiring community stories, we showcase how women farmers, tribal families, and grassroots institutions are creating a healthier, hunger-free future.
