SDG 2: Zero Hunger

1Research for zero hunger

UPES researchers work on fortified staple foods, household food security, turning food waste into value, crops for small farmers and the nutritional wealth of the Himalaya.

The figures below cover UPES research publications on food, nutrition and sustainable agriculture from 2021 to 2025 (source: Scopus, October 2026).

184zero hunger research publications, 2021–2025

9,505citations to these papers

99journal articles and reviews

30%open access

What the research covers

Number of 2021–2025 papers on each theme (a paper can appear under more than one).

Theme	Papers
Sustainable agriculture and crop production	116
Soil health, fertilisers and plant protection	59
Precision and smart farming (AI, IoT, drones)	57
Food systems, supply chains and security	36
Food waste and by-product value	24
Nutrition, malnutrition and health	20
Food processing, safety and fortification	11

Most cited work on food and farming

Machine Learning Applications for Precision Agriculture: A Comprehensive Review (IEEE Access, 2021), cited 1054 times.
Encapsulation of plant biocontrol bacteria with alginate as a main polymer material (International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2021), cited 217 times.
Transforming Farming: A Review of AI-Powered UAV Technologies in Precision Agriculture (Drones, 2024), cited 138 times.
A comprehensive overview of nanotechnology in sustainable agriculture (Journal of Biotechnology, 2022), cited 120 times.
Blockchain-Enabled Supply Chain platform for Indian Dairy Industry: Safety and Traceability (Foods, 2022), cited 119 times.

The full list of 254 publications since 2011, with links, is on the zero hunger research publications page (also available as a spreadsheet).

Research spotlights

Fortified rice for Uttarakhand

Dr Abhishek Chandra of the School of Health Sciences and Technology is a core technical committee member of the UN World Food Programme's Technical Support Unit for Rice Fortification in Uttarakhand, helping add essential micronutrients to a staple food eaten every day.

TSU field visit (LinkedIn)

Food security in poor households

Dr Shikha Saxena studies what decides whether low-income urban households have enough food and how this affects women's nutrition, and has assessed food security among refugee migrants. She also leads nutrition workshops and dietary assessments in the community.

Value from food waste

Dr Ranjna Sirohi researches turning food-processing and farm by-products into useful resources, from growing microalgae on food waste to health-promoting products from fruit residues. UPES researchers have also used food waste to make a nutritious composite bread (Sustainability, 2023).

Healthier school food, worldwide

Dr Imana Pal has been co-principal investigator on funded sustainable food system projects, including work with UNICEF to improve the school food environment in South Africa, and researches food loss and school farming to fight malnutrition.

More research

Crops and soil for small farmers. Projects use nanotechnology to improve crop yields and soil health, and develop low-cost seed treatments for small farmers.
Healthier everyday foods. Researchers have developed probiotic-rich yogurt from local strains and calcium-fortified multi-millet biscuits as a nutritious alternative to refined wheat flour (Foods, 2024).
Fighting anaemia. Prof Padma Venkat uses traditional herbs and fruits to tackle anaemia and improve nutrition.
Farm-to-plate innovation. With a BIRAC grant, the School of Health Sciences and Technology set up the SWACHH (Social Wellness, Agriculture, Clean and Hospitable Habitat) Incubation Centre, one of the first SPARSH-BIRAC centres in Uttarakhand, which will mentor fellows and social innovators in farm-to-plate solutions, climate resilience and public health over five years.
Himalayan food resources. The Himalayan Institute for Learning and Leadership (HILL) studies the nutritional value of wild Himalayan berries and promotes the sustainable cultivation, processing and marketing of Bhanjira (Perilla frutescens) to raise incomes in hill communities.

Sources and further reading

2Training nutrition professionals

The four-year Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics (Hons.) in the School of Health Sciences and Technology prepares the nutrition professionals India needs to fight malnutrition.

A curriculum built for public health. Courses include Public Health Nutrition, Micronutrients in Human Nutrition, National Health and Nutrition Programs and Policies, Nutritional Epidemiology and Anthropology, Sustainable Food Systems, and Field Practice in Public Health and Nutrition.
Learning in the real world. Students take part in practical sessions and industry visits, and complete a six-month hospital internship.
Every student meets the issue. Through the Srijan Social Internship, students from all schools work with NGOs, and some choose organisations fighting hunger, such as the Divya Prem Sewa Mission.

Sources and further reading

3Food security on campus

UPES makes sure that the people who study, work and live on its campuses, including the families of construction workers, have enough good food.

900+children of construction workers fed and taught at the Labour School

4meals a day in every hostel mess

The Labour School. On the Kandoli campus, UPES runs early childhood care and education for children aged 3 to 8 of construction workers building and maintaining the campus, with a nutritious mid-day meal every day. More than 900 children have been served.
Affordable food. A central cafeteria, dedicated food court buildings on both campuses, smaller outlets, hostel dining halls, meal plans and budget outlets offer regulated and partly subsidised prices, with vegetarian, Indian and international choices.
Less waste. UPES tracks food waste from its food services as part of its sustainability work.

Students eat at tables in a UPES food court — A food court on campus.

The Food Court building on the UPES campus — Bidholi and Kandoli each have a dedicated food court building.

Sources and further reading

4Food and nutrition in the community

UPES feeds families in crisis, teaches nutrition where it is needed most and supports the livelihoods that keep households food-secure.

1,000migrant-worker families given dry ration packs during COVID-19

4,000+people reached with 8–10 days of food each

3districts of Uttarakhand covered by a nutrition assessment

Emergency relief. During the COVID-19 lockdown, UPES gave dry ration family packs to 1,000 migrant-worker families in six rural locations, each lasting a family of four about 8–10 days.
Measuring malnutrition. UPES has assessed the nutritional status of children and families across three districts of Uttarakhand, and faculty bring experience from UNICEF and government child-development programmes on child malnutrition.
Fortified rice in Vikasnagar. Staff of the WFP-sponsored Technical Support Unit at UPES visited Vikasnagar block in Dehradun district to support the Government of Uttarakhand's rice fortification programme, explaining the benefits of fortified rice to Anganwadi workers, government school staff, fair price shop owners, beneficiaries and grain distribution officials, and addressing their concerns.
Mothers and young children. During Poshan Maah on 12 September 2023, students visited the Anganwadi centre in Sudhowala, near Nanda Ki Chowki, to give expectant and breastfeeding mothers posters and nutrition advice for every life stage, and to discuss personal hygiene.
Training frontline workers. During Poshan Maah, the School of Health Sciences and Technology trained Anganwadi and ASHA workers from Sahaspur Block in nutrition, food fortification and hygiene, with low-cost recipes using local ingredients.
Busting myths. B.Sc. Nutrition students take street plays into underserved communities to explain anaemia and the value of fortified food.
World Food Day. In 2023 the School marked World Food Day with a keynote from the National Health Mission, Government of Uttarakhand, and student activities on diverse, sustainable diets.
Livelihoods for rural women. Project Vikalp, UPES's Rural Women Technology Park, helps women in nearby villages earn through recycled-paper products, crafts and growing medicinal and aromatic plants, with campus support for marketing.

UPES nutrition students in costume perform a street play outdoors with a hand-made poster — B.Sc. Nutrition students perform a street play on anaemia and fortified food.

A UPES volunteer works with schoolchildren seated on mats in a government school courtyard — NSS volunteers run a Health Day camp for children at a government school in Pondha.

Technical Support Unit staff with Anganwadi workers and officials during a rice fortification visit in Vikasnagar — The rice fortification team with Anganwadi workers and officials in Vikasnagar block.

Students talk with mothers at the Sudhowala Anganwadi centre during Poshan Maah — Nutrition advice for mothers at the Sudhowala Anganwadi centre, Poshan Maah 2023.

Sources and further reading

5Food enterprise

UPES's entrepreneurship support also reaches food ventures that create local jobs and markets.

SWACHH Incubation Centre. The BIRAC-funded SPARSH centre at UPES mentors social innovators building farm-to-plate and food-system solutions.
FitBread. Founded in 2021 by alumnus Aryan Singh with Akshit Saxena and Aditya Kashyap, and mentored by the UPES Council for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, FitBread makes whole-wheat bread with flax seeds, oats and amaranth. It employs women in Uttarakhand and buys ingredients from local farmers and vendors.

Sources and further reading

Events and activities

11 events from UPES schools and departments support this goal. Each links to the original LinkedIn post.

Students and mothers at the Sudhowala Anganwadi centre

School of Health Sciences and Technology · 12 September 2023

Poshan Maah: visit to Sudhowala Anganwadi centre

Nutrition posters and life-stage dietary guidance for expectant and breastfeeding mothers, with a discussion on personal hygiene.

SDG 2SDG 3SDG 5

View on LinkedIn

TSU staff with officials outside a fair price shop in Vikasnagar

School of Health Sciences and Technology · Technical Support Unit (WFP)

Rice fortification awareness in Vikasnagar

TSU staff explained the benefits of fortified rice to Anganwadi workers, school staff, fair price shop owners, beneficiaries and grain distribution officials.

Every website and document used in this report, and the sections it supports.

Source	Type	Used in
UPES Annual Report 2022–23	PDF	3. Food security on campus
DSO Community Engagement & Social Impact Report	PDF	4. Food and nutrition in the community
UPES Research	Website	1. Research for zero hunger
Calcium-fortified multi-millet biscuits	Research paper	1. Research for zero hunger
Himalayan Institute for Learning and Leadership (HILL)	Website	1. Research for zero hunger
Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics (Hons.)	Website	2. Training nutrition professionals
Srijan Social Internship	Website	2. Training nutrition professionals 4. Food and nutrition in the community
UPES CSR reshaping lives of young students	Website	3. Food security on campus
How UPES is contributing to the SDGs	Website	3. Food security on campus 4. Food and nutrition in the community
Nutrition street play	LinkedIn post	4. Food and nutrition in the community
World Food Day 2023 at UPES	Facebook post	4. Food and nutrition in the community
Project Vikalp	Website	4. Food and nutrition in the community
Food start-up incubated at UPES empowers local communities	Website	5. Food enterprise
UPES alumnus launches food start-up	News article	5. Food enterprise
UPES zero hunger research publications: full list	Publication list	1. Research for zero hunger
BIRAC grant for the SWACHH Incubation Centre	LinkedIn post	1. Research; 5. Food enterprise
Rice fortification awareness in Vikasnagar	LinkedIn post	1. Research; 4. Food and nutrition in the community
Poshan Maah visit to Sudhowala Anganwadi centre	LinkedIn post	4. Food and nutrition in the community