IIT Bombay signed an MoU with 2020’s Nobel Peace Prize Laureate – the United Nations World Food Programme (UNWFP). The purpose of this partnership is to harness their technological expertise to enhance the research and evidence ecosystems in the areas of food, nutrition, climate, and livelihoods. Additionally, the collaboration aims to uplift India’s vulnerable populations.

Under this collaboration, IIT Bombay and UNWFP will exchange knowledge, best practices, and insights related to nutrition, food security, and sustainable agriculture through various platforms. Additionally, they will jointly develop and deliver training and capacity-building programs for government agencies, civil society organizations, and stakeholders involved in nutrition and food security.

The ceremony commemorating this agreement was attended by esteemed guests, including Ms. Elisabeth Faure, the Representative and Country Director of the World Food Programme in India, and Dr. Abhay Kumar, Head of the RAM and Evaluation Unit at the World Food Programme in India. Representing IIT Bombay were Prof. K. V. Krishna Rao, Deputy Director (FEA), and Prof. Sachin Patwardhan, Dean (Research and Development), both of whom expressed their enthusiasm and satisfaction with the signing of this MoU.

In addition to the aforementioned partnership, Ms. Faure emphasized that UNWFP will leverage the expertise of qualified senior students from IIT Bombay to monitor data quality for a large-scale evaluation conducted by NITI Aayog, with technical support from the World Food Programme.

IIT Bombay is honoured and delighted to partner with UNWFP on this significant and prestigious programme. The Institute congratulates Prof. Satish Agnihotri, Prof. Anand Rao, Prof. Amit Arora, Prof. Parmeshwar Udmale, and the entire team at CTARA (Centre for Technology Alternatives for Rural Areas) for their dedicated contribution to this collaborative effort.