Tata Trusts, India’s oldest philanthropic organisation, along with the $33 billion foods giant Mars Inc will invest in the country’s agri-food sector. The two will work together on agriculture development, malnutrition reduction and food safety improvement in Asia’s third-largest economy. Tata and Mars will collaborate on reducing aflatoxin (an invisible disease on crops that produces poisonous toxins) contamination in India’s supply chain, addressing malnutrition and improving crop productivity.

Tata Trusts which includes Sir Dorabji Tata Trust, Sir Ratan Tata Trust and Navajbhai Ratan Tata Trusts is the largest foundation in the country, focussing on rural livelihood, education, health and crafts and culture. Mars, headquartered in Virginia, US, owns brands such as Pedigree, Doublemint and Uncle Ben’s.

A 2015 UNICEF report stated that in India, 46% of children below three years are too small for their age and 47% are underweight.