NewzVille Desk
To reinforce the convergence of agriculture, nutrition, and public health, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) today jointly launched “SEHAT – Science Excellence for Health through Agricultural Transformation”, a national mission-mode programme designed to translate agricultural advancements into tangible health outcomes for the people of India.
The joint initiative of ICMR and ICAR, was unveiled by Jagat Prakash Nadda, Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare, along with Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, in the august presence of senior policymakers, eminent scientists, and key stakeholders.
SEHAT has been envisioned as a mission-mode initiative to strategically align agricultural research and innovation with national priorities in nutrition, preventive and promotive healthcare, non-communicable diseases, farmer well-being, and One Health.
The initiative embodies a structured convergence of the health and agriculture sectors, aimed at generating robust, evidence-based solutions to improve nutritional outcomes and strengthen public health.
The mission focuses on five priority areas of national significance, including the development and evaluation of biofortified and nutrient-dense crop varieties to address malnutrition and improve nutritional status; strengthening integrated farming systems to promote dietary diversification, enhance farm incomes, and build resilience; addressing occupational health risks among agricultural workers through targeted, evidence-based interventions; advancing agriculture-enabled strategies for the prevention and management of non-communicable diseases through the promotion of functional foods and nutritionally superior crop varieties; and strengthening One Health preparedness through integrated surveillance, diagnostics, and research at the human–animal–environment interface.
