Context-Recently ministry of women and child development launches Bharatiya Poshan Krishi Kosh.

About Bharatiya Poshan Krishi Kosh.

• The BPKK will be a repository of diverse crops across 128 agro-climatic zones in India for better nutritional outcomes.

• The Kosh aims at reducing malnutrition through a multi-sectoral results-based framework, including agriculture, among women and children across the country. 

• Ministry of Women and Child Development has collaborated with Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for this project. 

• This is an unique occasion where a tech giant is on the same platform as farmers and civil society members to promote a nutrition strong India in order to fulfill Prime Minister of India’s message for an ever green revolution that will bring together the nutritional needs of citizens with India’s cropping patterns and agricultural production.

 On this occasion, eminent agricultural scientist, Dr. M. S. Swaminathan, in his address, said that to make India nutrition secure a five-point action programme has to be implemented:

• Ensure calorie rich diet for women, expectant mothers and children
• Ensure intake of proteins in the form of pulses to eradicate protein hunger in women and children
• Eradicate hidden hunger due to deficiency of micro nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin B, Iron and Zinc
• Ensure clean drinking water supply
• Spreading nutrition literacy in every village particularly in mothers with children less than 100 days’ old

Significance

• It helps in convergence between agriculture and nutrition to address the challenge of malnutrition

• Not only India, but the whole world is facing the challenge of malnutrition. In many cases, deaths of children below five is result of malnutrition. Lauding India's efforts to tackle malnutrition, Mr Gates said, not many countries are talking about addressing this challenge. He said, National Nutrition Mission in India has brought a new energy needed to eliminate the Malnutrition.

• The Bharatiya Poshan Krishi Kosh seeks to promote healthy dietary practices and tackle under-nutrition in a sustainable manner. The initiative will be built on an essential understanding of social, behavioural and cultural practices that promote and reinforce healthy dietary behaviours both at the individual and community level. 
• ?The five point action programme also aligns with different Sustainable Development Goals such as SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 3 (Good Health and Well Being) and SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation).