SEHAT Mission

About SEHAT Mission

Introduction

• • SEHAT Stands for Science Excellence for Health Through Agricultural Transformation.
  • It is a national mission-mode programme designed to translate agricultural advancements into tangible health outcomes for the people of India.
  • Launched by: It has been jointly launched by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). 
  • Objective: Its objective is to build a framework for ‘Healthy Food, Healthy Farms and a Healthy India.’
  • Aim: It aimed at building an integrated farming system to improve human health with a focus on traditional knowledge.
  • It strategically aligns agricultural research and innovation with national priorities in nutrition, preventive and promotive healthcare, non-communicable diseases, farmer well-being, and One Health.

Features

• • Biofortification: It would promote biofortified crops, healthy livestock and nutrient-rich fish products, encourage diverse, safe and balanced diets across age groups, and reduce occupational risks for agricultural workers. 
  • Food as Medicine: It will also have a target-based approach to develop food-based solutions to address malnutrition, obesity, diabetes, hypertension and micronutrient deficiencies. 
  • Combating Dual-Disease Burden: It seeks to address India’s growing dual disease burden, where the country faces both undernutrition and overnutrition-related diseases at the same time. 

Five Priority Areas

• The mission focuses on five priority areas of national significance:
  • Development and evaluation of biofortified and nutrient-dense crop varieties to address malnutrition and improve nutritional status
  • Strengthening integrated farming systems to promote dietary diversification, enhance farm incomes, and build resilience 
  • Addressing occupational health risks among agricultural workers through targeted, evidence-based interventions
  • Advancing agriculture-enabled strategies for the prevention and management of non-communicable diseases through the promotion of functional foods and nutritionally superior crop varieties
  • Strengthening One Health preparedness through integrated surveillance, diagnostics, and research at the human–animal–environment interface.