Rashtriya Poshan Abhiyaan on the theme ‘Traditional Foods for Woman and Children in Tribal Areas’ programme was held at Kuda youth hall, Kuda village, Dimapur on 20th September 2022.
CDPO Dimapur (U), Renchano Odyuo in her briefing said the campaign has been functioning for the past five years to give information and how to improve nutrition of kids and adults. She said the focus of Abhiyaan is to emphasize the nutritional status of adolescent girls, pregnant women, lactating mothers, and children from 0-6 years of age.
She added that Poshan 2.0 seeks to address the challenges of malnutrition in children, adolescent girls, pregnant women, and lactating mothers through a strategic shift in nutrition content and delivery and by the creation of a convergent ecosystem to develop and promote practices that nurture health, wellness, and immunity. Its main objective is to contribute to the human capital development of the country; address challenges of malnutrition; promote nutrition awareness and good eating habits for sustainable health and wellbeing; and address nutrition-related deficiencies through key strategies, she added. Odyuo also urged the people to take more local food as it gives more nutrition and helps improve health and also to promote more local traditional food.
L. Samuel, SDO (C), Development Dimapur, in his short speech said that social welfare is one of the vital departments. He urged the people to consume organic food as it more nutritious. He also encouraged the gathering to grow their own organic food.
In the sensitization of Fortified rice, Kakugha T. Aye, Programme Officer, SBCC, CHRI of Food Fortification said that Fortified Rice, contains FSSAI prescribed micronutrients (Iron, Folic Acid, Vitamin B12) to normal Rice (Custom Milled Rice) in the ratio of 1:100 (Mixing 1 Kg of FRK with 100 Kg custom milled rice). He said that fortified rice is very identical to traditional rice in aroma, taste, and texture and the process is done in the rice mills at the time of milling of rice. Aye also stated that fortification of rice is found to be a cost-effective and complementary strategy to increase vitamin and mineral content in diets with low turnaround time (TAT) and a step towards nutritional security and helps in fighting anemia and malnutrition in the country.
M. Yimok Phom ADPM, NSRLM, DRDA Dimapur said that self-help groups in Dimapur under 6- Cluster or Blocks with 6- Federations are doing quite well. She called upon the gathering to maintain kitchen gardens in every household which not only helps in maintaining health but also helps to manage wealth which is beneficial for poor families.
Other highlights of the programme include local food shops by 12 SHGs under RD-NSRLM, on-the-spot distribution of IEC materials of fortified rice, demonstration of fortified rice, and video streaming of an online cooking competition on nutritious food for women and children.
Vote of thanks was proposed by the chairperson of the programme, Supervisor (ICDS), Meriyani Kikon.
(Limatoshi, IA Dimapur)
