ॲग्रो टाइम्स शेतकऱ्यांचा पेपर
Chennai : Community-level nutrition awareness was stepped up across 47 villages in Odisha in observation of National Nutrition Month, celebrated in September across India. Awareness is an integral part of the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) supported project being implemented by MSSRF in 47 villages of Boipariguda Block, Koraput District.
The project, “Strengthening Livelihood and Enhancing Food and Nutrition Security of Small and Marginal Farmers of Koraput District in a Farming System Model” involves interventions on nutrient dense crop, nutrition garden, fishery and poultry along with nutrition awareness across all the interventions with 1575 households in Mathapada and Doraguda Gram Panchayat of Boipariguda Block.
Cluster-level programmes were conducted through the month in the villages while following COVID-19 protocol. In all, 13 cluster level programmes were conducted and a total of 338 women and 31 men from 29 villages participated in the programme. The participants included adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating women, Community Hunger Fighters, ASHA and others. Precautions against COVID-19 including intake of immunity boosting food, hand washing, balanceddiet for good health and nutrition, intake of IFA tablet for lactating & pregnant women, food myths, complementary feeding, exclusive breast feeding were discussed during the programmes.
During the valedictory programme on 29th September, 2020 in collaboration with Department of Women & Child Development, Boipariguda Block, participants from 35 villages actively participated. Another 21 participants from ICDS & Odisha Livelihood Mission were also involved. Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Akshaya Kumar Panda, Development Coordinator, MSSRF briefly described the aims and objectives of the programme while Mrs R Gyana Sundari, Child Development Programme Officer, discussed the “Panchasutra” (five rules) which includes the importance of 1000 golden days, nutrient rich foods for pregnant and lactating women and importance of immunization. Mrs Nitu Kumari Swain, Block Livelihood Coordinator, Boipariguda focused on accessing nutrition through nutrition garden. The Community Hunger Fighter Mrs Ghasamani Dalei explained her experiences in line with nutrition and the activities undertaken to address malnutrition. The invited guests expressed that sustaining these activities could helperadicate malnutrition in the region.
The Anganwadi workers assured taking forward takeaways from the program in their work at grass root level and mutually working with on nutrition issues in collaboration with MSSRF. A wall hanging calendar on “Balanced Diet” was launched by guests and distributed to all participants. All participants took an oath to eradicate malnutrition and to follow the protocols to keep the COVID pandemic at bay.
Written by: Akshaya Kumar Panda & Tripati Khura
BPTAbC, MSSRF, Jeypore
Edited by: Jayashree B
