GAIN (Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition) is driven by a vision of a world without malnutrition, in which all people have access to and consume nutritious and safe food. GAIN’s mission is to advance nutrition outcomes by improving the consumption of nutritious and safe food for all people, especially the most vulnerable to malnutrition.
For the rural poor in difficult-to-reach places, such as those living on tea estates in India, limited market access and poor market infrastructure are root causes that have a detrimental impact on nutrition outcomes. To enhance the nutrition of the tea estate populations, a novel, and sustainable market-based supply chain model was put to the test in Assam, India.
To increase the last-mile accessibility of specific healthy items that were previously out of reach for many households on tea estates, this effort worked through neighborhood retail stores known as Healthy Line Shops. In 2020, the pilot concept was created for 12 retail shops spread across four tea plantations, and in 2021, it was expanded to 32 shops spread across eight estates.
A market supply chain strategy has been successful in boosting the availability of specific healthy meals for a target market of lower-income consumers. Within two years, the model had developed into a chance for distributors, retailers, and wholesalers to grow their businesses with little investment, proving its viability. The findings showed that a sustainable business model had been created that improves the availability and purchase of safe and nourishing foods among the communities living on tea estates by combining an adequate product basket with training for merchants on effective trade practices. Various activities such as street plays, cooking competitions, nutrition-based cooking sessions, nutrition quizzes, and sanitation drives were organized from time to time to create awareness of nutrition and hygiene.
This impact story explains the conceptualization process for the pilot intervention, then goes into depth about the outcomes of the pilot intervention and the lessons that may be used for future initiatives to integrate nutrition-sensitive technologies into last-mile supply chains in difficult-to-reach locations.
