The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) jointly launched the national mission-mode programme “SEHAT – Science Excellence for Health through Agricultural Transformation”.
The initiative aims to transform agricultural advancements into measurable public health outcomes and strengthen preventive healthcare in India.
SEHAT: A Historic Initiative
- The programme was launched by Jagat Prakash Nadda along with Shivraj Singh Chouhan in the presence of scientists, policymakers, and senior officials.
- Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda described SEHAT as a “historic step” reflecting India’s shift from a curative healthcare model to a preventive and holistic healthcare approach under the leadership of Narendra Modi.
- The initiative demonstrates a strong convergence between the agriculture and health sectors to address emerging public health challenges.
Focus on Preventive and Holistic Healthcare
Shri Nadda emphasised that over the past decade India has increasingly focused on:
- preventive healthcare,
- early disease detection,
- continuum of care,
- indigenous innovation,
- and evidence-based policymaking.
He highlighted the growing role of ICMR in:
- medical research,
- innovation,
- policy guidance,
- and development of affordable indigenous technologies.
According to him, SEHAT represents a “whole-of-government and whole-of-system approach” integrating:
- science,
- policy,
- and implementation.
Addressing India’s Dual Burden of Disease
The Health Minister noted that India currently faces a dual burden:
- persistent malnutrition,
- and rising non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, hypertension, and cancer.
He stressed that diet and nutrition play a critical role in addressing these challenges and reiterated the Prime Minister’s appeal for reduced consumption of sugar, salt, and oil.
He said:
- ICAR can help ensure availability of nutritious food systems,
- while ICMR can scientifically validate health outcomes.
Food Can Become Medicine: Shivraj Singh Chouhan
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan described the initiative as “unprecedented and historic”.
He emphasised that agriculture and health are deeply interconnected and highlighted the need for:
- scientific validation of nutritious crops,
- alignment of agriculture with nutritional requirements,
- and promotion of organic and sustainable farming practices.
He stated that awareness regarding healthy diets is essential in combating lifestyle diseases.
According to him:
“Food itself can become medicine with the right approach.”
Five Priority Areas of SEHAT
The SEHAT mission will focus on five major national priority areas:
1. Biofortified and Nutrient-Dense Crops
Development and evaluation of biofortified crop varieties to combat malnutrition and improve nutrition levels.
2. Integrated Farming Systems
Promotion of diversified farming systems to improve:
- dietary diversity,
- farm income,
- and agricultural resilience.
3. Occupational Health of Agricultural Workers
Addressing occupational health risks faced by farmers and agricultural workers through evidence-based interventions.
4. Prevention of Non-Communicable Diseases
Promoting agriculture-enabled strategies for prevention and management of NCDs through:
- functional foods,
- and nutritionally superior crop varieties.
5. Strengthening One Health Preparedness
Enhancing integrated surveillance, diagnostics, and research at the:
- human,
- animal,
- and environmental interface.
Importance of One Health and Data-Driven Policy
SEHAT is also expected to:
- generate robust evidence on nutrition and health outcomes,
- develop scalable and region-specific models,
- strengthen inter-sectoral coordination,
- and create a data-driven framework for policymaking.
The initiative aligns with India’s broader “One Health” vision that recognises the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health.
Key Takeaway
The launch of SEHAT marks a major policy shift towards integrating agriculture and public health in India. By combining scientific research, nutrition-sensitive farming, preventive healthcare, and evidence-based policymaking, the initiative aims to create healthier food systems and improve long-term public health outcomes across the country.