Good nutrition is good life. Healthy diets and good nutrition with adequate macro and micronutrients are the fundamentals of health and human development. Good nutrition from early life, notably in the first 1,000 days of life, leads to high Intelligence Quotient (IQ), enhances human capital potential, and breaks the passivity. Any investment made in sustainable food and nutrition gives significant returns. Global studies have measured that for every dollar invested in nutrition there is an average return of 16 dollars. Malnutrition outcomes such as Stunting and Anaemia severely affect physical and cognitive growth and pose a huge burden on economic productivity. 1% loss in adult height due to stunting impacts 1.4% loss in productivity. Similarly, eliminating anaemia increases 5-17% adult productivity (Horton and Ross (2003). Micronutrient malnutrition can increase morbidity and mortality.
Nutrition for industrial workers where the micronutrient malnutrition, stunting and anaemia is all pervasive inhibits worker’s productivity, regular attendance and performance. It is often recognized by managers to be a major challenge.
Some of the organizations in the organized sectors have ensured one balanced meal in the workplace so that the worker is healthy and works efficiently. However, such practices do not exist in the unorganized sectors and even in many workplaces in the organized sectors. While some argue that wages paid under the laws of the land suffices the commitment of the industry, some recommend that it is important to ensure a healthy workforce. Employers should find ways to provide nutritional food to their workers and children to keep them healthy.Read More
on 28th May 2020, 4PM -5 PM on Zoom.
Eminent guests for the Discussion
His experience of three decades in rural and natural resources covers program design & operations, national policy and advocacy. His programs on Agro ecology focuses on climate adaptive agriculture, food security and healthy workforce. He has worked on assignments on social inclusion in his previous engagement with IL&FS.
MR RAJIV AHAL, DIRECTOR, NRM AND AGRO ECOLOGY, GIZ INDIA
Mr Vij embarked on an entrepreneurial journey for 18 years in commercial sector, and then undertook leadership positions in international development. He presently leads GAIN as India Country Director and represents for the GAIN programs on Large Scale Food Fortification, Community management of Severe Acute Malnutrition , Workplace Nutrition , Production of Fortified Blended Foods and Nutrition Research. His strengths has been his entrepreneurial approach, business mindset with experience in establishing collaborative partnerships with stakeholders including government. In his previous capacities he worked in leadership capacities in America India Foundation and PATH.
Mr Tarun Vij , Country Director , Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN)
Mr. Basanta is an international development professional who has won numerous accolades and represents in in several Board and Governance structures, policy, advisory and technical bodies in South and South East Asia. For his outstanding contribution to the nutrition and poverty eradication endeavours, he was conferred with most prestigious 2019 Global Nutrition Leadership Award, 2016 Global ‘Transform Nutrition Champion Award’, Odisha Living Legend Award and a certificate of Appreciation from the Government of India on supporting National Nutrition Mission(POSHAN Abhiyaan). Recently, he was recognised as a Hero of the decade by the NDTV Swachh And Swasth (Clean and Healthy) India Campaign. In a first, Basanta introduced nutrition program for industrial workers in Bangladesh.
Mr Tarun Vij , Country Director , Global Alliance for ImprMr Basant Kumar Kar, Recipient of Global Nutrition Leadership Award
oved Nutrition (GAIN)
Mr. Basanta is an international development professional who has won numerous accolades and represents in in several Board and Governance structures, policy, advisory and technical bodies in South and southeast Asia. For his outstanding contribution to the nutrition and poverty eradication endeavours, he was conferred with most prestigious 2019 Global Nutrition Leadership Award, 2016 Global ‘Transform Nutrition Champion Award’, Odisha Living Legend Award and a certificate of Appreciation from the Government of India on supporting National Nutrition Mission(POSHAN Abhiyaan). Recently,Mr Mohanta is a marketing professional with expertise in Consumer Insights and Innovation in the Emerging Markets for more than two decades. He has contributed to development of product and process Innovations in both Corporate and Social sector. He has helped establish sustainable business models in Healthcare for Novartis and Baxter, and renewable energy for Shell Foundation. He successfully established a Nutrition Supply chain for GAIN in tea gardens of Assam.
Mr Saroj Kumar Mohanta , Co-Founder, Ecociate Consultants (P) Ltd