Addressing nutritional deficiency in rural children

NGO project promotes consumption of locally cultivable available vegetables and fruits

Greens and vegetables cultivated in the backyard are being promoted under the Pratham Poshana project. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

 

Pratham Mysore, an NGO working to promote quality education in government schools, has embarked on a project to address nutritional deficiency in schoolchildren in rural areas.

The project - ‘’Pratham Poshana” - is being taken up at Muthathi village in T.Narsipur taluk of Mysuru district on a pilot basis and entails promoting the consumption of locally cultivable available vegetables and fruits.

Initiated by Ratna Rajaiah who has authored books on recipes and culinary delights that can be dished out with greens and vegetables cultivated in the backyard, the project also entails a series of talks under the theme ‘’Aaaharadinda Aarogya’’ to inspire the womenfolk to get involved as it entailed their children’s health.

The JSS Krishi Vignana Kendra at Suttur is supporting the initiative and popularising the concept of kitchen garden and cultivating vegetables for domestic consumption besides distributing seedlings. A periodical health checkup of children covered under the programme is also a part of the pilot project.  

‘’Once we have the baseline data of what children lack in terms of nutrition or vitamin deficiency, then moving forward it can be compared with the progress in their health a few months down the line and whether the project has made any difference in addressing their nutritional deficiency’’, said Ms. Ratna Rajaiah.

The village identified for the pilot is a paddy and sugarcane growing area and even those engaged in diary farming do not have the tradition of consuming milk and curds as all of it is sold to earn income but in the process the children are deprived of nutrition in their formative years, said Ms. Ratna Rajaiah.

The womenfolk have evinced interest in the Pratham Poshana project as cultivating vegetables obviates the need to purchase it from the market and entails savings. Under the anganwadi programme of the government there is no provision for vegetables and only milk is provided and this can act as a supplement, said Ms. Ratna Rajaiah.

Ashvini Ranjan, who is the Founder Trustee of Pratham Mysore and spearheading its activities, said the project takes a holistic approach to improving quality of education in the chosen village according importance to nutritional needs of children.

‘’Health and nutrition is an essential component of education and a healthy child learns better and is more attentive in class. It is not the volume of food that a child eats but it is the nutritious items that goes into it’’, said Mr. Ashvini Ranjan.

He said Pratham Poshana initiative is an attempt to bring about possible changes in terms of eating the right available food in the right manner.

‘’Ms. Ratna Rajaiah highlights the nutritive value of locally available common items like peanuts, jaggery, ragi, til, jowar, greens (curry leaves, coriander, drumstick tree leaves) etc., and puts to rest the notion that expensive food and fruits like apple are more healthy as against the humble papaya or the banana’’, said Mr. Ashvini Ranjan.

 Ms. Ratna Rajaiah said the backyards in the village which were vacant are now sprouting with leafy greens and the womenfolk are asking for more seedlings in what could be construed as an encouraging sign.