Eat Right Summit, 2023
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), in association with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Herbalife, conducted the ‘Eat Right Summit 2023,’ at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi. The summit was focused on ‘Shree Anna’ (millets) to celebrate and promote the cultivation and consumption of millets as a sustainable and wholesome food option for the future while honouring their significance in our food heritage.
Inaugurated by Honourable Health Secretary Shri Sudhansh Pant from the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, the summit featured esteemed guests and speakers, including Chief Executive Officer of FSSAI Shri G Kamala Vardhana Rao, and Dr Shubnum Singh, Principal Advisor, Health CII along with Senior Vice President & Managing Director of Herbalife India, Ajay Khanna.
The Eat Right India Initiative, a pioneering step towards creating a healthier and more dynamic country, was a focal point of the summit. This campaign promotes traditional foods, healthy lifestyles, and personal responsibility for nutrition. It emphasizes the importance of not only eating right but also living right, with the aim of harmonizing India's rich culinary legacy with improved health and well-being.
During the inauguration, Sudhansh Pant, Secretary Govt of India, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and Chairperson FSSAI said, “FSSAI and CII have successfully organized a ground breaking summit that's igniting a millet revolution among the youth. The launch of Ayushman Bharat has made wellness a national priority, with 162,000 health and wellness centres available across the country, ensuring a total of 170,000 HWS and Community Health options. Rajasthan's vibrant food streets proudly showcase the cultivation of bajra, while millet canteens at AIMS have accelerated the popularity of these wholesome grains. Furthermore, FSSAI's strategic MoU with the defence sector to develop millet-based healthy recipes signifies a major leap towards a healthier nation. "From sowing millets to crafting recipes for the defence, we're nurturing wellness for a healthier India."
He went on to say that, “It has reached the grass root level already. The Ministry of Defence has signed a MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) with FSSAI. Many villagers have started using Shree Anna.” He further stated that FSSAI has started 15 regulations related to this. Benefits of Shree Anna have been explained at every level possible.
The Eat Right Summit had various sessions, including panel discussions, guest speeches, important notes, and presentations by industry professionals. These sessions covered topics such as regular consumption of millets, mindful eating, global perspectives on food and food trends, and opportunities for enhancing our country's food system and regulations.
While speaking at the occasion, G Kamala Vardhana Rao, IAS, Chief Executive Officer, FSSAI mentioned that, “India's journey with millets, which started back in 2017 and is gaining momentum through the Sustainable Development Goals of 2015, has now reached a significant milestone in 2023. In the budgetary speech, the Finance Minister emphasized the vital mission of achieving zero hunger, tackling the hidden hunger caused by the absence of essential nutrients.” He said that everyone has supported this initiative. Also, a lot of awareness has been spread about the micronutrients and macronutrients. He feels that after three years they will be the leading producers in the country. They produced more than 15 billion tonnes of millets.
He added that, “While comparing rice and wheat cultivation, growing Ragi requires lower rainfall and is also a nutritional powerhouse, making it an eco-friendly choice. India's wide mission extends to Andhra Pradesh's seven districts, encouraging farm visits, while Chhattisgarh becomes the motor for excellence.” He also revealed that in Haryana and Odisha, the growth of bajra symbolizes progress and sustainability. According to him, India is marching towards a healthier future, embracing millets and ensuring excellence in agriculture.
A dedicated session at the summit highlighted the Eat Right India initiatives and Herbalife's role as a pioneer in promoting them. From Eat Right Schools and Campuses to Walkathons, Melas, webinars, and radio campaigns, Herbalife has been actively involved in driving these initiatives.
Ajay Khanna, Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Herbalife India said, “Herbalife is proud of our long-standing collaboration with FSSAI, which has helped make a real difference in India's nutrition landscape. Building upon the success of last year's launch, this year's Food Summit is significant because it focuses on bringing millets - a sustainable and nutritious food that is essential to India's health – back into our diets.” He also feels that as a responsible wellness company and community, Herbalife is committed to helping tackle India's growing nutritional challenges.
Their mission is clear: to bridge the gap by providing access to science-backed healthy food, innovating to create a supportive regulatory environment, and educating and informing as many people as possible. He also said, “We believe in eating healthy and healthy living. We have a centre of research in Bangalore which is working towards the health of the people in our nation by working on various aspects of not only millets but a holistic view of people’s diet.”
While the food summit marks a significant milestone, it is important to recognize that the journey towards a healthier India is ongoing. Continuous public awareness campaigns expanded nutrition education programs, and strengthened regulations are crucial components of this ongoing effort.
One of Herbalife's key strengths lies in its highly motivated and trained distributors, who are making a positive difference in people's lives. The company is dedicated to up skilling its distributors and looks forward to engaging with FSSAI for training programs such as FOSTAC, which will further enhance their skills.
