New Delhi, Oct 16: In 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated 17 biofortified crop varieties across eight crops to the nation, marking an important milestone in India's efforts to strengthen nutritional security.
Six years later, the opportunity is to take that science from the farm to millions of Indian kitchens. Imagine ordering your everyday atta, dal and rice in minutes, with biofortified options available through quick commerce. The idea is simple: improve the nutritional quality of the food people already eat, without asking them to change their everyday meals.
This World Food Day, Better Nutrition is working to make that possible, connecting biofortified seeds, farmers, nutrient testing and consumer products. The mission is backed by actor and investor Varun Dhawan, who has invested in the company and is working to biofortify his own farm.
India has made major strides in food production and access. The next challenge is improving the nutritional quality of the food people consume every day. Biofortification aims to increase the levels of specific nutrients in crops as they grow, through crop varieties and farming practices. Unlike conventional fortification, which adds nutrients during food processing, biofortification starts with the crop itself.
The relevance is immediate. Wheat, rice and pulses are staples in Indian diets. Improving the nutritional quality of these familiar foods offers a way to reach consumers through meals they already eat, rather than relying entirely on new food habits or separate nutritional products.
Better Nutrition, marketed by Greenday Farmer Solutions Pvt Ltd, is building a consumer business around biofortified staples, including atta, rice, dals and millets. Its approach combines seed selection, agronomic practices, farmer engagement and nutrient testing. The company uses X-ray fluorescence technology to measure nutrient levels in grain and finished products, helping establish a measurable link between what is grown and what reaches consumers.
Its consumer proposition is straightforward: familiar everyday staples with the potential for higher levels of specific nutrients, without requiring households to change their usual meals. Product-specific nutrient claims are based on the relevant testing and substantiation.
The range is available through Better Nutrition's website and quick-commerce platforms, bringing biofortified alternatives closer to consumers' everyday shopping.
Biofortification also creates an opportunity to connect agricultural production with demand for nutritionally improved crops. Better Nutrition works with farmers to bring biofortified crops into commercial supply chains. Its model connects seed selection, farming practices and measurable nutritional characteristics with finished products that consumers can buy.
The company has engaged with organisations including the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition and United Nations India in policy dialogues related to nutrition and food systems. It was also previously supported through RKVY-RAFTAAR and the Ministry of Agriculture's Agri Grand Challenge ecosystem.
Varun Dhawan's involvement, including his investment and his own farm's biofortification journey, is helping bring greater public attention to the idea that nutrition can begin much earlier than the kitchen.
For consumers, the proposition does not require a new diet or unfamiliar ingredients. It begins with staples already found in Indian kitchens. By bringing biofortified atta, rice and dals into everyday shopping, Better Nutrition aims to make nutritional quality a more visible part of food choices, alongside taste, quality, price and convenience.
This World Food Day, the opportunity is to connect agricultural innovation with everyday choices, and make the journey from seed to plate a practical part of India's wider pursuit of nutrition security.
