NUTRITIOUS FOOD— THE CORNERSTONE OF A HEALTHIER INDIA The lush rural stretches of India don’t just make fantastic backdrops for epic Bollywood love stories. This is where the elements of nature conspire with the people of the land to nourish the rest of the country. Nutrition is the science of food and its relationship to your health. To live a healthy life, one needs to consciously eat foods that provide essential nutrients needed to energise and fortify the body. Thanks to advancements in technology, infrastructure and communication that came with the turn of the century, India, which was once known for only producing food grains, has diversified into the cultivation of high-
value nutritious crops like fruit and vegetables. Today, the country’s growth is driven by high-value segments such as dairy, horticulture and inland fisheries, which ensure that farmers have year-round income. 60 per cent of India’s agricultural GDP comes from them. In 2014-15, the production of fruit and vegetables overtook India’s food-grain production by 31 million tonnes. One of the many reasons for the growth in Indian horticulture is awareness about the impact of food on one’s health, which has led to an increase in demand. So, it’s safe to say that India is well on its way to becoming a healthier nation.
60%
of India’s agricultural GDP comes from high-value segments such as dairy, horticulture and inland fisheries
IN 2014-15, THE PRODUCTION OF FRUIT AND VEGETABLE OVERTOOK INDIA’S FOOD GRAIN PRODUCTION BY
31 MILLION TONNES