MALNUTRITION: India: Nutrition gardens to help fight malnutrition

BS Reporter / Chennai/ Mysore Jan 03, 2013, 00:51 IST

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Realising its role in combating malnutrition, the Department of Horticulture here has taken up a programme to develop ‘nutrition gardens’ in each taluk of the Mysore district.

In order to meet its target under the programme, it has developed 200,000 fruit and vegetable saplings which will be planted in these gardens.

The department is also encouraging growing of fruits and vegetables that can help overcome malnutrition in open spaces in schools and Anganwadi centres, besides kitchen gardens in homes. It is also encouraging farmers to grow these horticultural items wherever possible in their plots, according to Senior Assistant Director of Horticulture M S Raju.

Towards this, it is offering financial assistance under various schemes. These measures have resulted in development of nutritional horticulture blocks in 2,500 acres in the district, he said at an interaction programme on ‘Malnutrition and role of horticulture products’ at the Tibetan centre in Bylakuppe in Periyapatna taluk on Wednesday.

Raju suggested to the students who participated in the programme, organised by the Department of Information, Mysore, to balance their eating habits with at least 120 grams fresh fruits and 45-50 grammes vegetables along with regular food to improve their nutrition status. Eating after washing them and without removing their skin would help improve harmones also. Mothers and pregnant women can overcome iron deficiency by eating more greens along with fruits and vegetables.

Assistant Director of Information G Chandrakanth asked the participants not to be carried away by costly fruits believing they alone provided nutrition to their body. They should instead go in for ordinary and cheaper varieties like papaya, banana, jackfruit, guava, custard apple and figs, and vegetables like tomato, ladies’ finger, ridge gourd, brinjal, drumstick, bitter gourd and many variety of greens locally available.