Iron deficiency anaemia is the most common form of anaemia in Odisha. There are many biological and social factors in the state that contribute to anaemia such as, iron loss during menstruation among adolescent girls, higher iron requirements among pregnant women for foetus growth and development, societal and gender norms affecting nutritional intake and incidence of malaria.
Food fortification is a proven complementary strategy to overcome micronutrient deficiency along with diet diversification, micronutrient supplementation, health education, and public health measures. The World Food Programme (WFP) India has undertaken several demonstration projects with the state governments of Odisha to showcase the impact, operational feasibility and cost efficiency of rice fortification on children's health and nutrition.
