The State of Jharkhand severely gripped by malnutrition, especially among children of rural areas, is witnessing a new dawn with the introduction of Poshan Vatika (nutrition gardens) to bridge the gap of food-nutrition in kids’ midday meals.
Around 70 Poshan Vatikas have been promoted at Anganwadi Centres and school compounds providing a daily dose of green vegetables to around 3,000 children in pilot project started by Save the Children in collaboration with Vikas Bharti, Bishunpur in Gumla district. Besides, the school teacher and Anganwadi Sevikas, the community seems to have also acknowledged the benefit of this initiative.
The setting up of Vatikas is done under the ambitious ‘Karuna’ project of the international NGO that has been designed to create a model for improving nutrition security in Gumla district and Varanasi district of Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh respectively.
Tejpal Oraon, local ward member and his wife Madhuri Devi, who also happens to be a Panchayat member decided to lend their kitchen garden to neighbouring mini Angawadi centre at Badkatoli village under Puggu Panchayat of Gumla district.
“The mini Angawadi centre is situated on an arid piece of land making Poshan Vatika, a non-viable concept. To ensure a diet of green vegetable for children in the Anganwadi centres we decided to lend out home garden for a Poshan Vatika,” Oraon said.
He said that every morning Manjusha Toppo, the Sevika of Angawadi Centre collects green vegetables from the garden which is used for preparing nutritious diet for the children.
“As a part of the project, the nutrition counsellors informed that green vegetable are source of vital nutrition and we should ensure that mid day meal contains them. Since place outside mini angawadi centre was not fit for growing vegetable I requested my neighbour to lend their garden,” said Toppo.
Toppo also claimed that the daily dose of green vegetable also helps in preparing tastier mid day meals, which attracts children to it. Taking up the concept of nutrition garden, some of the Anganwadi centres are using their backyards for growing vegetable around the season.
“I have turned my backyard into a Poshan Vatika. Apart from the children who come to my centre, my family is also getting a daily dose of green vegetable on their platter. We have been informed that the green vegetables are good source of nutrients which helps in keeping us healthy. The Vatika also helps in saving money which was earlier used for buying green vegetables,” said Geeta Devi, Anganwadi Sevika in Gumla Sadar block.
In the next phase of project, the Angawadi Sevikas and teachers, who help in maintaining the poshan vatika will be provided knowledge about vegetables that could be grown throughout the year.
They will be provided a calendar of seasonal vegetable which should be grown in their poshan vatika and also quality seeds to witness the first results of their hard work “towards ensuing nutritious food for children”.
The school teachers informed that the community is also aware of the importance of green vegetables for the school-going children and they never pick produce of these vatikas.