SDG 2: Zero Hunger

SDG 2.1Research for zero hunger

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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).

What the research covers

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

Most cited work on food and farming

1. Machine Learning Applications for Precision Agriculture: A Comprehensive Review (IEEE Access, 2021), cited 1054 times.
2. Encapsulation of plant biocontrol bacteria with alginate as a main polymer material (International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2021), cited 217 times.
3. Transforming Farming: A Review of AI-Powered UAV Technologies in Precision Agriculture (Drones, 2024), cited 138 times.
4. A comprehensive overview of nanotechnology in sustainable agriculture (Journal of Biotechnology, 2022), cited 120 times.
5. 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. UPES hosts staff of the Technical Support Unit for rice fortification, sponsored by the UN World Food Programme, who support the Government of Uttarakhand in adding essential micronutrients to rice, a staple eaten every day. Source: Rice fortification awareness in Vikasnagar (LinkedIn).

  See also: Rice fortification awareness in Vikasnagar, National Conference on Food Fortification in Events and activities.

  

• Food security and nutrition. Dr Shikha Saxena co-edited Agriculture, Nutrition, and Resilience: Recent Insights and Innovations (2025), with chapters on food security and on using artificial intelligence for better nutrition. Source: Agriculture, Nutrition, and Resilience (2025), Delving into food security (2025), Revolutionizing food security: AI for nutrition (2025).

  See also: World Food Day 2023 in Events and activities.

• Value from food waste. Dr Ranjna Sirohi researches turning food-processing and farm by-products into useful resources, and co-authored the introduction to Sustainable Technologies for Food Waste Management (2025). Source: Food Waste Management – An Introduction (2025).
• Soil, climate and future foods. Dr Imana Pal studies how soil salinisation driven by climate change threatens food security, and the potential of marine microalgae as sustainable functional foods (2025). Source: Salinization of Soil threatens food security (2025), Marine Microalgae: The Future of Functional Foods (2025).

More research

• Crops and soil for small farmers. Projects use nanotechnology to boost crop yields and soil health, and develop affordable seed treatments for small farmers. Source: UPES Research.
• Healthier everyday foods. Researchers have developed probiotic-rich yogurt from local strains, and gluten-free, calcium-fortified multi-millet biscuits sweetened with jaggery as a nutritious alternative to refined wheat flour (Foods, 2024). Source: Calcium-fortified multi-millet biscuits (Foods, 2024), UPES Research.
• Fighting anaemia. Prof Padma Venkat uses traditional herbs and fruits to address anaemia and nutrition. Source: UPES Research, UPES Research Brochure (PDF): Dr Padma Venkat.

  See also: Nutrition awareness in underserved communities, Anaemia-free campus in Events and activities.

• SWACHH Incubation Centre. Dr Nidhi Chauhan and her team won a BIRAC grant to 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. Source: BIRAC grant for the SWACHH Incubation Centre (LinkedIn), UPES Research.

  

• Himalayan food resources. The Himalayan Institute for Learning and Leadership (HILL) studies the nutritional value of wild Himalayan berries and promotes the cultivation, processing and marketing of Bhanjira (Perilla frutescens) to raise incomes in hill communities. Source: Himalayan Institute for Learning and Leadership, HILL projects (UPES blog).

  See also: Food security at Himalaya Calling 2025 in Events and activities.

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SDG 2.2Training nutrition professionals

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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.

Courses and experience

• Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics (Hons.). A four-year programme with courses in public health nutrition, micronutrients, national nutrition programmes and policies, nutritional epidemiology and sustainable food systems, practical sessions, industry visits and a six-month hospital internship. Source: Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics (Hons.).

  See also: FoSTaC food safety supervisor training, Faculty programme on healthcare analytics with SAS in Events and activities.

• Srijan Social Internship. First-year students work full time with social organisations for six to eight weeks, and some choose organisations fighting hunger, such as the Divya Prem Seva Mission, where they help with daily food distribution and free lunches. Source: Srijan Social Internship.

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SDG 2.3Food security on campus

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

Food on campus

• Project Samvedna. Children of migrant construction workers on UPES campuses receive education, day care and mid-day meals, and UPES has begun providing them with school uniforms. Source: UPES CSR reshaping lives of young students.

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• Affordable food. A central cafeteria, dedicated food court buildings on both campuses, smaller outlets and hostel dining halls offer vegetarian, Indian and international choices, and UPES tracks food waste from its food services as part of its sustainability work. Source: UPES Annual Report 2022–23 (PDF), Student facilities, Cafeteria / Restaurant, Food and beverage services at UPES, Eat Right Campus certificate, Bidholi (PDF), Eat Right Campus certificate, Kandoli (PDF).

  See also: FoSTaC food safety supervisor training in Events and activities.

  

  

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SDG 2.4Food and nutrition in the community

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

Relief and nutrition

• 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 and together reaching more than 4,000 people. Source: How UPES is contributing to the SDGs.
• Measuring malnutrition. UPES has assessed the nutritional status of children and families across three districts of Uttarakhand. Source: How UPES is contributing to the SDGs.

  See also: Poshan Maah visit to Sudhowala Anganwadi centre, Training frontline workers in Events and activities.

• Livelihoods for rural women. Project Vikalp, UPES's Rural Women Technology Park, helps women in nearby villages earn from recycled-paper products, crafts and growing medicinal and aromatic plants, with campus support for marketing. Source: Project Vikalp.

Events in the community

• Rice fortification awareness in Vikasnagar. Staff of the WFP-sponsored Technical Support Unit at UPES visited Vikasnagar block in Dehradun district to explain the benefits of fortified rice to Anganwadi workers, government school staff, fair price shop owners, beneficiaries and grain distribution officials, and to address their concerns. Source: Rice fortification awareness in Vikasnagar (LinkedIn), Event report: Rice fortification awareness in Vikasnagar.

  

• Poshan Maah visit to Sudhowala Anganwadi centre. During National Nutrition Month 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. Source: Poshan Maah visit to Sudhowala Anganwadi centre (LinkedIn), Event report: Poshan Maah visit to Sudhowala Anganwadi centre.

  

• Training frontline workers. During Poshan Maah, the School of Health Sciences and Technology ran a two-day workshop for Anganwadi and ASHA workers from Sahaspur Block on nutrition security, food fortification and hygiene, with low-cost recipes using local ingredients. Source: DSO Community Engagement & Social Impact Report (PDF), Event report: Training frontline workers.

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• Nutrition awareness in underserved communities. B.Sc. Nutrition students took a street play into underserved communities to bust myths about anaemia and explain the value of fortified food. Source: Nutrition awareness in underserved communities (LinkedIn), From classroom learning to community impact (LinkedIn), Event report: Nutrition awareness in underserved communities.

  

• World Food Day 2023. The School of Health Sciences and Technology marked World Food Day in October 2023 with a keynote from the National Health Mission, Government of Uttarakhand, and student activities on diverse, sustainable diets. Source: World Food Day 2023 at UPES (Facebook), Event report: World Food Day 2023.

SDG 2.5Food enterprise

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

Food ventures

• SWACHH Incubation Centre. The BIRAC-funded SPARSH centre at UPES mentors social innovators building farm-to-plate and food-system solutions. Source: BIRAC grant for the SWACHH Incubation Centre (LinkedIn), UPES Research.

  

• FitBread. Founded in 2021 by alumnus Aryan Singh with Akshit Saxena and Aditya Kashyap, and incubated by the UPES Council for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, FitBread makes whole-wheat bread with flax seeds, oats and amaranth, sources from small local vendors and trains women in Uttarakhand in bakery skills. Source: Food start-up incubated at UPES empowers local communities (UPES blog), UPES alumnus launches food start-up (Garhwal Post).

Events and activities

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10 events from UPES schools and departments support this goal. Each event has its own report with a description, photographs and a link to the original post.

Technical Support Unit, UPES, with the UN World Food Programme

Rice fortification awareness in Vikasnagar

Staff of the WFP-sponsored Technical Support Unit at UPES visited Vikasnagar block in Dehradun district to explain the benefits of fortified rice to Anganwadi workers, government school staff, fair price shop owners, beneficiaries and grain distribution officials, and to address their concerns.

Event report → · Original post

Featured in: Fortified rice for Uttarakhand.

12 September 2023 · School of Health Sciences and Technology

Poshan Maah visit to Sudhowala Anganwadi centre

During National Nutrition Month 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.

Event report → · Original post

Featured in: Measuring malnutrition.

School of Health Sciences and Technology

Training frontline workers

During Poshan Maah, the School of Health Sciences and Technology ran a two-day workshop for Anganwadi and ASHA workers from Sahaspur Block on nutrition security, food fortification and hygiene, with low-cost recipes using local ingredients.

Event report → · Original post

Featured in: Measuring malnutrition.

B.Sc. Nutrition students, School of Health Sciences and Technology

Nutrition awareness in underserved communities

B.Sc. Nutrition students took a street play into underserved communities to bust myths about anaemia and explain the value of fortified food.

Event report → · Original post

Featured in: Fighting anaemia.

October 2023 · School of Health Sciences and Technology

World Food Day 2023

The School of Health Sciences and Technology marked World Food Day in October 2023 with a keynote from the National Health Mission, Government of Uttarakhand, and student activities on diverse, sustainable diets.

Event report → · Original post

Featured in: Food security and nutrition.

9–10 September 2025 · School of Health Sciences and Technology

National Conference on Food Fortification

On 9–10 September 2025, the School of Health Sciences and Technology hosted a two-day national conference on food fortification to combat anaemia and micronutrient deficiencies, bringing policymakers, researchers and practitioners together on the Bidholi campus.

Event report → · Original post

Featured in: Fortified rice for Uttarakhand.

School of Health Sciences and Technology

FoSTaC food safety supervisor training

The School of Health Sciences and Technology ran an advanced-level FoSTaC food safety supervisor course certified by FSSAI.

Event report → · Original post

Featured in: Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics (Hons.), Affordable food.

School of Health Sciences and Technology

Food security at Himalaya Calling 2025

As part of the Himalaya Calling 2025 global summit, the school hosted a session on “Food Security, Health Sciences and Technology: Pathways to a Nourished Society”.

Event report → · Original post

Featured in: Himalayan food resources.

Faculty programme on healthcare analytics with SAS

A five-day faculty development programme on healthcare analytics and life sciences with SAS Institute India trained more than 30 faculty members.

Event report → · Original post

Featured in: Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics (Hons.).

Department of Social Outreach and NSS

Anaemia-free campus

An awareness drive, “Anaemia – An Unconquered Battle”,, run by the Department of Social Outreach and NSS, highlighted that more than half of Indian women of reproductive age are anaemic.

Event report → · Original post

Featured in: Fighting anaemia.

All sources

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Every website and document used in this report, and the sections it supports. Each initiative and event also has its own page, linked from its name in the report.