Kukatpally, Telangana, India, 5 August 2026 — Sight and Life has launched a new school nutrition initiative that will provide phytase-enriched ragi millet biscuits every week to over 7,000 students across 30 government schools in Kukatpally Mandal. The initiative combines nutrition science, local food manufacturing and community-based delivery to help children obtain greater nutritional value from a familiar and widely enjoyed food.

Led by Sight and Life in partnership with Millet Bowl and supported by the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), the initiative is being delivered collaboratively with Abhayam Society and Walkers International Dist. 301. Millet Bowl manufactures the phytase-enriched millet biscuits, while Abhayam Society and Walkers International Dist. 301 support delivery and engagement across the participating schools.

"Improving child nutrition requires collective solutions that are scientifically sound, locally relevant and capable of reaching children through the systems that already serve them. This initiative reflects Sight and Life’s commitment to working across sectors to translate evidence into practical food solutions that can improve the quality of children’s diets at scale” - Dr. Sufia Askari, Managing Director, Sight and Life.

Millets such as ragi have long held an important place in Indian diets. Nutritious, familiar and widely enjoyed, they provide essential minerals including iron, zinc and calcium. Yet their full nutritional value is not always realised because phytic acid, a naturally occurring compound in millet and other plant-based foods, can reduce the body’s ability to absorb these nutrients.

By adding phytase, an enzyme that breaks down phytic acid during processing, the biscuits help unlock more of the nutrients already present in the millet. Testing of the phytase-enriched formulation showed up to an 80% reduction in phytic acid, a 2-5 fold increase in the absorption of iron, zinc, calcium and magnesium, and a 50% improvement in protein digestibility, while maintaining the biscuits’ taste, texture and appearance. The result is a familiar food with greater nutritional value for children.

This approach reflects Sight and Life’s focus on translating nutrition science into practical food solutions that can strengthen the quality and impact of programmes reaching vulnerable populations.

“Improving child nutrition is not only about increasing access to food. It is also about ensuring that children can benefit from the nutrients that food contains. By applying phytase technology to a familiar millet-based product, we are using food science to enhance nutritional value in a practical way. This initiative shows what is possible when scientific evidence, local food production and strong implementation partnerships come together" said Priyanka Kumari, Senior Manager – Food and Agribusiness at Sight and Life.

The Phytase-Enriched Millet Biscuit Initiative was officially inaugurated at Government Primary School, Kukatpally. As part of the launch, students participated in an interactive nutrition education session using educational play cards. The session introduced students to

the importance of balanced diets, the nutritional value of ragi and other millets, and the role of nutritious foods in supporting health and well-being.

“At Millet Bowl, we have always viewed food as a means of creating meaningful social impact. Drawing on our years of experience developing and delivering millet-based products to consumers across India, this initiative allows us to take that commitment further by using phytase to enhance the nutritional value of a food that is already familiar and widely enjoyed. We are delighted to partner with Sight and Life and the implementing partners to bring this innovation to thousands of government school students,” said Kumar Sanjay, Founder of Millet Bowl.

The Phytase-Enriched Millet Biscuit Initiative in India shows how food innovation can unlock greater nutritional value from familiar, everyday foods. By bringing together nutrition science, local manufacturing, government systems and community partnerships, the initiative is creating a practical approach to strengthening child nutrition. It reflects a shared commitment to helping more children access the nutrients they need to grow, learn and thrive.

 

About Sight and Life

Sight and Life is a Swiss-based innovation and systems-transformation foundation, working to end malnutrition and build resilient food systems. Founded four decades ago on the belief that better evidence can improve lives, we bridge science, governments, markets and communities to turn nutrition research into solutions that reach people at scale.

About Millet Bowl

Millet Bowl is a Hyderabad-based food innovation company that develops nutritious millet-based products using traditional grains and modern food technologies. Through innovative product development, the company works to make healthier, millet-based foods more accessible to consumers while supporting improved nutrition.

About Children’s Investment Fund Foundation

Children’s Investment Fund Foundation is an independent global philanthropy, that collaborates with governments, multilateral institutions, civil society organisations, academia and the private sector to identify, invest in and scale evidence-based solutions. Through strong partnerships and locally led approaches, the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation drives sustainable, large-scale impact that advances the Sustainable Development Goals and creates lasting positive change for future generations.