India is observing the fifth Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2022 as part of the national POSHAN Abhiyan, and the theme for 2022 is Maahila aur Swasthya and Bacha aur Shiksha (Women and Health and Children and Education). In line with this, series of nutrition awareness programmes have been carried out by MSSRF Jeypore at cluster level with focusing the target beneficiaries particularly the vulnerable groups including pregnant women & lactating mothers, adolescent girls and farmers. The grass root level workers such as Anganwadi Workers (AWW) and Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) also took part in the programme.

Through this series of awareness programmes, awareness on balanced diet including quality, quantity and frequency of food consumptions was iterated. Tri-colour food and complementary food was also introduced to the village people. In addition, hand hygiene (handwash demonstration) and safe cooking processes were also organised to maximising nutritional outcomes. Participants were sensitised on food myths and misconception as well. Further, nutrition garden (Poshan Vatikas) were established at village level institutions like Anganwadi centres and schools, apart from household nutrition garden that is mitigating the objective 2.0 of Poshan Abhiyan. 787 participated in the MSSRF programmes (376 male and 411 female).

A valedictory programme on National Nutrition Month was organised at MSSRF BPTAbC in Jeypore at the end of September to conclude the village-level nutrition awareness programmes with the tribal communities. 80 participants including Community Hunger Fighters (CHFs) and leading male and female farmers have actively participated.

Mr. Prabhata Kumar Samal Chief District Agriculture Officer, Koraput, was the chief guest. Mr. Sanjib Kumar Mahanta, Dr. H. Gowda, Head, ICAR-IIWSC, Sunabeda, Asst. Director of Horticulture, Jeypore; Dr. Seemarani Behera, District Programme Coordinator, Mamata Programme; Smt. Raj Kumari Patnaik, Nutrition Counsellor, NRC, Koraput; Dr. Shyam Sundar Panigrahy, Consultant – Nutritionist & Dietician; Smt. Pravhatirani Tripathy, CDPO, Koraput; and Mr. Akash Kumar Parida (District Coordinator-CMAM Programme) participated as guest of honour. Dr. M.M. Hossain, Director MSSRF Jeypore presided.

It was an interactive programme aimed at enhancing knowledge on the importance of food and nutrition to address the prevalent under nutrition issues in tribal Odisha. The programme was organised under Improving Household Dietary Diversity of rural and tribal people though promotion of Nutrition Gardens in Koraput district of Odisha project funded by Government of Odisha under RKVY, DST-STI Hub, and BIRAC.