India harnesses tech and tradition to fight malnutrition in mothers and children

India is celebrating the seventh edition of its annual nutrition awareness drive, Poshan Pakhwada (April 8–22), focusing on maternal and infant nutrition, childhood obesity, and increased AI-powered digital access for health monitoring.

A cornerstone of the government’s broader Poshan Abhiyaan initiative, the campaign has a major focus on the critical first 1,000 days of a child’s life — from conception to a child’s second birthday — highlighted as the most crucial window for physical and mental development.

Key messages of the effort include prioritizing antenatal care, balanced diets, hydration, and the use of the Poshan Tracker App, a real-time digital platform for monitoring nutrition delivery and child development.

New community-based malnutrition efforts include the expanded use of the AI-powered Poshan Tracker. All Anganwadi Centers (rural child care centers) are now integrated with the app, enabling real-time tracking of growth metrics, meal distribution, and education services.

For the first time, beneficiaries — including pregnant women, lactating mothers, adolescent girls, and children — can self-register on the platform, further enhancing accessibility and accountability.

“Poshan Pakhwada, an annual nutrition awareness drive, is not just another campaign — it is a clarion call for action,” say state officials.

Maternal care and focus on traditional diets

The campaign aims to position every Anganwadi as a “frontline nutrition clinic.” It will promote breastfeeding, maternal care, and local, nutrient-rich foods, especially in tribal areas where traditional diets hold significant health value.

A recent study found a surprising paradox in rural India: protein deficiency remains widespread here, even in households that sufficiently produce or have access to protein-rich foods.

Recognizing that malnutrition includes both undernutrition and overnutrition, this year’s drive also addresses childhood obesity, a growing concern.

In parallel to Poshan Pakhwada, the government is scaling up the use of the Community-Based Management of Acute Malnutrition Protocol, introduced in 2023. The protocol supports Anganwadi workers with a standardized, community-level approach to identifying and treating malnutrition — making appetite tests, timely referrals, and structured treatment a part of grassroots care.

Recognizing that malnutrition includes both undernutrition and overnutrition, this year’s drive also addresses childhood obesity, a growing concern.

Schools will be encouraged to promote physical activity and ban high-fat, high-sugar, high-salt foods, aligning with long-standing recommendations from the Ministry of Women and Child Development and Central Board of Secondary Education guidelines.

India’s rising nutrition focus

Nutrition Insight recently spoke to a co-author of a recent study on the world’s largest food assistance program, India’s Public Distribution System, which is bringing transformative impacts on child stunting, boosting household income, and curbing the effects of climate shocks.

We also connected with UNICEF, which is underscoring the need for gender-responsive strategies for tackling a high burden of nutrition imbalance across South Asia, with adolescent girls facing greater risks.

Meanwhile, experts informed us of the effective role women’s organizations play in enhancing access to nutrition by uniting their strength to overcome institutional, social, and economic obstacles.