The Hindu Editorial Analysis
21 February 2025
The transformation of Koraput’s tribal food basket
(Source – The Hindu, International Edition – Page No. – 8)
Topic: GS 2: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health
Context
- Location: Koraput, Odisha, known for its rich biodiversity and predominantly tribal population.
- Challenges: High levels of poverty and undernutrition, despite various government schemes.
- Statistics:
- 43% of children under five are stunted.
- 33% are underweight.
- Only 17% receive an adequate diet.
- Over 50% of women are anaemic.
Transformation Toward Nutrition Security
- MSSRF Initiative (2013-2022):
- Launched a community-based model of nutrition literacy to empower tribal communities.
- Focused on diversifying food sources for better nutrition.
Key Strategies
- Target Population: Engaged small-scale farmers in subsistence agriculture.
- Capacity Building:
- Trained a core group of men and women through residential programs.
- Focused on key nutrition concepts and practices.
- Community Sensitization:
- Assessed nutritional status of community members.
- Selected participants from various caste groups for training.
Training and Engagement
- Residential Programs:
- Conducted activity-based training sessions over six months.
- Emphasized dialogue and comparison of new knowledge with existing practices.
- Focus on Dietary Diversity:
- Shifted perceptions from ‘dish count’ to understanding the importance of diverse food groups.
- Highlighted traditional knowledge of rice varieties.
Collective Power and Action
- Social Engagement:
- Created opportunities for interaction across villages and genders.
- Planned cultivation of nutritious crops and home gardens.
- Community Champions:
- Over 200 trained individuals became advocates for nutrition security.
- Shared health messages during daily activities and community events.
Agricultural and Nutritional Improvements
- Increased Crop Diversity:
- Households grew from 2-3 crops to 4-5 varieties over the program’s duration.
- Home Gardens:
- Operational home gardens increased significantly, enhancing dietary diversity.
- Collaboration with Health Workers:
- Women champions worked with local health activists to spread nutrition awareness.
Facilitating Change
- Monitoring Programs:
- Villagers actively monitored direct feeding programs.
- Establishing Anganwadi Centers:
- Advocated for and successfully established an anganwadi center in a village.
- Reviving Community Structures:
- Resurrected community grain banks and engaged in village council discussions for food security.
Conclusion
- Empowered Communities: Koraput’s transformation illustrates the effectiveness of community-driven initiatives in addressing undernutrition.
- Sustainable Improvements: Collaboration between local champions and government support has led to significant advancements in agricultural practices and nutrition security.
- Community Participation: Highlights the vital role of community engagement in tackling public health challenges effectively.