After having spent over a decade working to bridge the gap between hunger and education, one thing has become clear--while public policy lays the foundation, sustainable change is only possible when society, comprising corporates, non-profits and citizens embrace collective ownership of development agendas.
Green Earth (Pixabay)
The SDGs provide a comprehensive framework to plan, measure and monitor progress towards creating a sustainable world. India has made considerable progress towards achieving two critical UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), SDG 2 - Zero Hunger and SDG 4 - Quality Education, with government programmes like PM POSHAN and Samagra Shiksha laying a strong foundation. However, in a country as vast and diverse as ours, the scale and complexity of challenges demand more than government support; they call for a united, multi-sectoral response.
Over the years, it has become quite evident that a well-nourished child is far more likely to attend school, stay focused in class and achieve better learning outcomes. Nutrition is not just a health metric, it is the cornerstone of educational equity. When we feed a child, we don’t just address hunger; we enable their right to learn, grow and thrive. Thus, any conversation about child nutrition and education must move beyond government responsibility.
Reimagining schools not just as centres of learning but as effective platforms for child welfare can help unlock the full potential of school-based nutrition and create space for deeper multisector collaboration, particularly in advancing SDG 2 and SDG 4. While the government continues to play a pivotal role in supporting the mid-day meal programme, there is considerable scope to engage private players in complementary interventions, such as school breakfast programmes. A well-designed breakfast initiative can address early morning hunger, improve attendance, sharpen concentration and significantly enhance learning outcomes, thereby amplifying the overall impact of school feeding efforts.
True transformation lies in multi-sectoral collaboration, where the private sector takes a larger role, going beyond being just a donor and becoming a co-creator of solutions. Even the most well-conceived welfare programmes can benefit from support going beyond government funding as far as scale, innovation and sustainability are concerned. We have witnessed first-hand how corporate partnerships, based on shared values and long-term commitment to a cause, can enhance programme efficiency, scalability and resilience. For the private sector, it is an opportunity to contribute; not merely as a funder, but as a strategic partner in the crucial task of nation-building.
The evolution of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in India, especially post the Companies Act 2013, has opened doors to deeper engagement. According to a Give Grants report, annual CSR spending has grown three times over the last decade. To maximise the impact of this spending, there is a need to go beyond compliance and foster strategic alignment with global and national development goals. A successful collaboration pairs corporate (innovation) with non-profit (implementation) and government (scale). While governments set the agenda, non-profits can bring community insight and corporations can contribute resources and expertise, thus helping maximise the impact of welfare programmes.
True progress requires sustained impact over the course of time, and to ensure sustained impact, we can resort to local contextualisation and data-driven accountability. Measurable indicators, such as school attendance and learning outcomes, can help ensure optimal utilisation and continuous improvement of resources. Furthermore, fostering ecosystems of shared responsibility, such as co-funding models, joint impact assessments and platforms for learning exchange, do not just multiply impact but also build resilience necessary to mitigate disruptions caused due to unforeseen situations such as a natural disaster or as we witnessed during the Covid-19 pandemic.
As a nation, we have both the ambition and infrastructure to achieve the UN SDGs. Our progress so far is a testament to the strength of our development policies. However, to unlock the full potential of these initiatives and to reach every child who needs support, we must embrace the idea of collective responsibility. Together, we can ensure that every child has the opportunity to learn, grow and contribute to a brighter, more equitable India. In the end, feeding a child and educating a child are not just acts of service—they are investments in our shared future.
This article is authored by Dhananjay Ganjoo, chief resource mobilisation and marketing officer, The Akshaya Patra Foundation.
E-Paper
