Poshan Maah Programme – September 2020

Every year the Poshan Maah is celebrated under POSHAN Abhiyaan (Scheme for Holistic Nourishment), which was launched in 2018 by the Government of India. The objective of the Poshan Maah is to encourage programmes addressing malnutrition amongst children, and anemia among women and to ensure health and nutrition for everyone. Poshan Maah (Nutrition month)  was celebrated in Sanskriti Samvardhan Mandal’s Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Sagroli in September  2020. Various programmes focused on anemia and malnutrition were conducted in the month which is as follows.

Programme was started on 1^st September with a Training programme on “ Dietary management in anemia” in Sagroli village for 13 farm women. Detailed information on signs and symptoms, health problems, and dietary management in anemia was given to the present participants. Low cost locally available nutritious food was explained to them.

 

On 4/9/2020 a Method demonstration on Preparation of nutritious thali with low-cost nutritional food items for 17 Anganwadi workers and farm women was given at Madaki Tq. Loha for in coordination with Swayam Shikshan Prayog organization. How to prepare nutritious thali for every age group was actually demonstrated to present participants.

Training programme on “Use of drumstick leaves in various recipes to combat anemia and other nutritional deficiencies” was conducted at Bamani for 15 SHG leaders on 9/9/2020. Drumstick leaves are rich in iron, calcium, and other micronutrients which are effective to combat anemia and other nutritional deficiencies. The use of drumstick leaves and dry powder of it is very beneficial for good health.  Various recipes from drumstick leaves were actually demonstrated and well explained to present participants. Also distributed the informative handouts to all for their future use.

 On 12/9/2020 a Training programme on “Balanced diet for Health” was conducted at Dagadgaon Tq. Loha for 15 farm women. The importance of a balanced diet and low-cost nutritious recipes was explained to present participants. The importance of a balanced diet and Healthy and unhealthy food was explained with the help of charts and posters. 

Awareness programme on Nutritional garden and Nutritional benefits of drumstick leaves was conducted on 15/9/2020 at Katkalamba Tq. Kandhar. A vegetable nutritional garden is very important for the back yard of every house. Hence, the layout, nutritious vegetables, organic vegetable production was described and demonstrated to 12 women present for programme. Also given vegetable nutrition garden seed kits to the present participants. 

Anganwadi workers and SHG leaders are working with a huge group of population and very effective medium to spread the knowledge of nutrition. It is very important to conduct a descriptive session on Health and Nutrition in anemia and malnutrition for Anganwadi workers and Shg leaders. Hence a workshop on Health and nutrition for women and preschool children was organized at Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Sagroli in collaboration with ICDS on 17/9/2020.  Child development project office, Integrated child development scheme, Biloli Smt. Gangamani Girgaonkar, Smt. Sunanda Deshmukh, Savitribai Fule Mahila Vikas Mandal, sagroli, Dr. S. D. Kulkarni was present for the programme. Total of 100 Anganwadi workers and SHG leaders have participated in programme. Importance and development of nutrition garden, low-cost nutritious diet, immunity-boosting diet in COVID 19 situation, and diet in anemia and malnutrition were the topics covered in the programme. 100 vegetable Nutritional garden seeds kits were given to the participants for more effective implementation of the programme. 

Visited nutrition gardens developed under Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Sagroli on 21 and 22 September 2020.  Also discussed organic vegetable production at household nutritional garden.

Village level awareness about nutritional food security is very important. Hence, On 22/9/2020, an awareness programme on nutritional food security through nutritional garden and SHG conveners meeting was conducted at Village Kokalegaon Tq. Naigaon in coordination with UMED Abhiyan, MSRLM. Total of 38 women have participated in the programme. Nutritional garden details were described and informative handouts were distributed among the participants by Prof. Madhuri Revanwar (Home scientist). Veterinary scientist Mr. Nihal Mulla explained about the importance of backyard poultry for income generation. Dr. S. D. Kulkarni, senior Scientist, and head, KVK Sagroli, Block mission manager of UMED Abhiyan Mr. Amol Jondhale were also present for the programme. After programme, all were visited the nutritional garden developed by women. 

Fruits and vegetable processing is very important for farmers to reduce spoilage and extra income generation. Food preservatives play a key role in food preservation. But safe use of it is also important. Hence Facebook live session on the Safe use of food preservatives was given for the viewers on 23/9/2020. 

Online training programme on Nutritional food security with nutritional gardening was conducted on 23/9/2020 for Anganwadi workers and ICDS officials from Ardhapur taluka Dist. Nanded. As Anganwadi workers are key persons working in the community to reduce malnutrition and anemia, it is very important to refurbish their knowledge. Now in this COVID 19 situation, it is very important to develop a nutritional garden in the yard of every house. As Anganwadi workers are extension professionals, they can spread nutritional garden knowledge to every person in their villages. Hence this programme was organized for them in coordination with ICDS, Ardhapur. Topics like types of nutrition garden layout, organic cultivation of vegetables, various types of biofortified crops were covered in the programme.