Smart Food

What Smart Food does

Smart Food is a non-profit advocacy initiative established in 2016 and housed at ICRISAT (International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics), headquartered in Patancheru, Hyderabad, India, with a regional hub in Bamako, Mali. Its mission is to diversify staples across Africa and Asia by promoting millets, sorghum, and grain legumes under a triple-bottom-line framework — good for the consumer, the planet, and the farmer — targeting health-conscious consumers, smallholder dryland farmers, food manufacturers, and government/NGO partners. Smart Food's substantive knowledge assets include the largest systematic review on millets and diabetes (80 studies, 11 countries), quantified cardiovascular outcome data, the UN International Year of Millets 2023 designation, and the Millet Finder database cataloging 500+ millet products across 30 countries, co-developed with ICAR-IIMR.

The initiative's operating model is institutional rather than commercial. It does not sell products or services directly to end users; instead it generates awareness through digital content (blog, social channels including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, Flickr), events such as FoodTec Expo, professional WhatsApp/Telegram communities, ambassador and celebrity-chef collaborations, scientific publications, and indirect distribution partnerships with bakeries, restaurants, retail outlets, and government public-distribution systems (e.g., Odisha's ragi pilot). Strategic partners include ICAR-IIMR, AGRA, FARA, the Kenya Ministry of Agriculture, the Sehgal Foundation, and Nestle Nigeria/IFDC, which together have trained more than 30,000 farmers on resilient millet/sorghum farming systems.

Financially, Smart Food is sustained by ICRISAT's institutional resources, grants, and partner collaborations; it does not generate commercial revenue and has no disclosed funding rounds. The current technology stack is content- and database-driven — the Millet Finder is being positioned for AI-driven automation and an interactive consumer app, but no live AI capability is documented. Its defensibility rests on ICRISAT's research pedigree, the Millet Finder dataset, the UN policy designation, and a multi-stakeholder ecosystem spanning at least seven countries (India, Kenya, Mali, Myanmar, Niger, Nigeria, Tanzania).

Name

Smart Food

Legal name

Smart Food Initiative (hosted by ICRISAT)

Website

https://smartfood.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Smart Food is a non-profit ICRISAT initiative that advocates diversification of staples with millets, sorghum, and grain legumes across Africa and Asia, targeting health-conscious consumers, smallholder dryland farmers, food manufacturers, and government/NGO partners through education, partnerships, and the Millet Finder database.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Food Advocacy and Nutrition Education

NAICS

Oilseed and Grain Farming (1111)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700), Agricultural Production-Crops (100)

akta.pro primary industry

Agriculture & Food Security Development (BPAGABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Resilient Livelihoods & Climate-Smart Food Security (BPADAJAH), Agriculture, Food Security & Nutrition Technical Assistance (BPADAEAG), Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (Fair Trade, Food Access, Regenerative) (BPAGALAD), Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (BPAGAGAI)

Keywords

• Millet advocacy initiative
• Sorghum nutrition awareness
• Dryland crop promotion
• Agricultural diversification platform
• Food security education

Headquarters

HQ city

Hyderabad

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Non-profit initiative funding: Smart Food is a non-profit initiative under ICRISAT (International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics). It does not generate commercial revenue but operates through grants, partnerships, and institutional funding to promote smart foods globally.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Smart Food is an awareness, education, and advocacy initiative under ICRISAT (International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics) that promotes millets and sorghum as nutritionally beneficial, climate-resilient staples across Africa and Asia. The initiative operates a global database called Millet Finder (with 500+ products across 30 countries), publishes scientific studies on nutritional benefits, develops recipes, and runs farmer training and consumer education programs in partnership with governments, NGOs, and food manufacturers. It is a non-profit initiative funded through grants and institutional partnerships, not a commercial product vendor.

Product overview

Smart Food is an educational initiative by ICRISAT (International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics) focused on promoting millets and sorghum as Smart Food that is good for health, the planet, and farmers. The initiative operates as a knowledge platform providing the Millet Finder database of global millet products, recipe collections, scientific publications, and research studies. Rather than selling products, Smart Food serves as an information hub connecting consumers, farmers, researchers, and industry stakeholders across Africa and Asia through resources, recipes, and evidence-based research on millets and legumes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Smart Food Initiative An awareness, education, and advocacy initiative under ICRISAT that promotes millets and sorghum as nutritious, climate-resilient Smart Food across Africa and Asia, targeting consumers, farmers, governments, and food manufacturers.
• Millet Finder A global, searchable database cataloging over 500 modern millet-based products across 30 countries, helping consumers and industry professionals discover convenient millet products, suppliers, and shop or restaurant locations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Blood glucose levels lowered by 12% (fasting) and 15% (post-meal) for diabetic individuals consuming millets
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ICAR-Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 November 2020Co-developed and co-launched the Millet Finder database at FoodTec Expo alongside ICRISAT. IIMR and ICRISAT have been working with governments, social cause organisations and the private industry to create awareness of the benefits of consuming millets and cultivating them.
• Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFARA's Executive Director Dr Yemi Akinbamijo emphasized millets' resilience for coping with climate change and their traditional significance across Africa. FARA collaborates on agricultural research and food system transformation initiatives.
• Kenya Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and CooperativesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported FoodTec Expo event that featured strong focus on supporting industries and value chains like millets. Ministry supports initiatives aligned with Smart Food bottom line.
• Sehgal FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSehgal Foundation is aligning big initiatives with the Smart Food Endowment Fund to help create a bigger movement. Founded 20 years ago, bringing attention to Smart Foods like millet, sorghum and grain legumes.
• Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerICRISAT and AGRA announced a new partnership synergizing their strengths. ICRISAT's improved crop varieties and value chain development technology will complement AGRA's agricultural transformation initiatives in Africa.
• Nestle Nigeria and International Fertilizer Development Centre (IFDC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to train over 30,000 Nigerian farmers on resilient millet/sorghum farming systems as part of Nestle's effort to source 100% of raw materials locally.
• Celebrity Chefs (Gabon, Congo, Senegal)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerThree celebrity chefs from Gabon, Congo and Senegal finding new takers for millets and sorghum in Europe with innovative recipes. Part of Smart Food initiative to gain chef support and overturn dated notions about dryland cereals.
• Dr Lalla Malika Issoufou (First Lady of Niger)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerNamed as Smart Food Ambassador for her vision and leadership in nutrition and promotion of traditional food crops such as millet. Helps promote Smart Food at government and diplomatic levels.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• EAT Foundation: A global nonprofit transforming food systems through science-based targets and multistakeholder partnerships. Comparable as a peer food systems advocacy organization linking nutrition, environment, and farmer outcomes — themes central to Smart Food's triple bottom line.
• Heifer International: A nonprofit organization working to end hunger and poverty through sustainable agriculture and livestock. Comparable as a peer in supporting smallholder farmers in developing countries, though their model focuses on animal agriculture and value chains rather than crop-specific advocacy.
• One Acre Fund: An agricultural NGO serving smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa with inputs, training, and market access. Comparable as a peer organization focused on smallholder farmer livelihoods and climate-resilient agriculture, though focused on input delivery rather than crop advocacy.

Direct peers

• Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT: A CGIAR research center focused on agricultural biodiversity and food system transformation. Directly comparable as a peer CGIAR entity conducting crop research and advocating for crop diversification to address nutrition and climate challenges globally.
• Slow Food International: A global movement advocating for good, clean and fair food with a focus on preserving traditional and indigenous food products. Directly comparable as a peer advocacy platform using awareness, partnerships, and community engagement to promote underutilized traditional foods.
• International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI): A CGIAR research center providing research-based policy solutions to reduce poverty and end hunger. Comparable as a peer institution publishing evidence-based research on nutrition, food security, and agricultural policy that influences government programs.
• HarvestPlus: A CGIAR-linked program breeding and disseminating biofortified staple crops to address micronutrient deficiency. Directly comparable as a peer initiative promoting nutrient-dense staple crops globally through research, partnerships, and farmer adoption programs.
• Crop Trust: The Global Crop Diversity Trust, focused on conserving crop genetic diversity for food security. Comparable as a peer organization working to preserve and promote crop diversity, including millets and other underutilized species, through global partnerships.
• CIMMYT: The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, a sister CGIAR organization. Comparable as a peer crop-specific research and advocacy institution promoting staple crop improvement with similar institutional structure and global mandate.
• International Rice Research Institute (IRRI): A sister CGIAR research center dedicated to rice research and advocacy. Directly comparable as a peer crop-focused research and promotion entity working to improve and diversify rice-based food systems across Asia and Africa.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SmartFoodIndia
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCPIUuLUaPCgK220Ove0i8_g
• Facebookfacebook.com/SmartFoodGlobal
• Instagraminstagram.com/smartfood_india
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/smartfoodglobal

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Smart Food