International Conference ANVESH-2026 on Sustainable Healthy Foods

**Overview** From February 26 to 28, 2026, the National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM-K) hosted the International Conference ANVESH-2026, a landmark global platform bringing together over 25 countries to deliberate on emerging and sustainable healthy food systems. **Key Highlights** • The conference was organized under the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) at Kundli, Haryana. • It witnessed robust participation from over 1,000 delegates and 40 Vice Chancellors across 25 nations. • India's ambitious target was announced: increasing food processing levels from the current 12-13% to 25% within five years. • Deliberations focused heavily on curtailing annual post-harvest losses, currently estimated at nearly ₹1.10 lakh crore. • The conference highlighted the paradigm of 'Food as Medicine', exploring alternative proteins and advanced nutraceuticals. • The event featured 22 live cookery shows practically demonstrating innovative plant-based and sustainable ingredients. • Key themes included digital traceability, circular economy approaches, and advanced food packaging techniques. **Key Developments / Drivers** With ₹15,000 crore heavily invested in the food processing ecosystem over the last five years, the government is aggressively pushing to modernize the unorganized sector. The massive post-harvest loss forces an urgent need for transition. Integrating next-generation technologies like AI-driven supply chains, cold-storage networking, and sustainable scientific packaging is critical to boosting agricultural export competitiveness and ensuring food security. **Strategic Importance** This is crucial for UPSC GS Paper 3 (Agriculture, Food Processing, Technology, Economy). It underscores India's strategic ambition to transition from merely an agricultural producer to a highly sophisticated global innovation hub in sustainable food processing. It perfectly aligns with the goal of doubling farmers' incomes and promoting rural economic empowerment through strategic value addition. **Future Outlook** By systematically aligning post-harvest management with global best practices, India is poised to significantly reduce agricultural waste and enhance value addition. Scaling up startup ecosystems in agri-tech will build resilient, climate-smart food systems strictly capable of meeting rising international demand while ensuring domestic nutritional security.