Insights into Nutri Garden, Nutri Thali and Biofortified Varieties for Anganwadi Workers and Farm Women at KVK, Wyra on 17-09-2020

Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) is a government of India program to provide food, preschool education, primary healthcare, immunization, health check-up and referral services to children under 6 years of age and their mothers and the scheme was launched in 1975. The infant mortality rate of Indian children is 34 with under-five mortality rate is 39 with 25% of new born children being underweight among other nutritional, immunization and educational deficiencies of children in India. The wide network of anganwadi centres with its teachers can form an important tool in promoting nutri garden in rural areas. Hence a field level training program was organised on 17.09.2020 to anganwadi workers and farm women in collaboration with ICAR – ATARI Zone X and IFFCO at KVK, Wyra. The program was attended by 37 anganwadi teachers, 24 farm women, 21 officials including faculty of KVK, Wyra. The department and ICDS reiterated the need the for encouraging nutri garden at homes and in anganwadi centres. The program was attended by Mrs. P. Vijaya Nirmala, District Agricultural Officer, Khammam, Mrs. G. Sarada Santhi, CDPO and Mrs. Ch. Kamala Priya, Additional CDPO attended the meeting. Dr. J. Hemantha Kumar, Programme Coordinator, Dr. Jessie Suneetha W, SMS (Home Science), Dr. P. Sri Ranjitha, SMS (Agronomy), Dr. V. Chaitanya, SMS (Horticulture) and Dr. K. Ravi Kumar SMS (Plant Protection) provided deep insights into importance of nutri thali with different value added underutilised food grains, need for developing nutri garden, vegetable and fruit crops that can be grown in different season for year round availability of fresh produce, management and plant protection measures for fruits and vegetables in a kitchen garden, seed availability and their market prices. Mrs. P. S. M. Phanisri proposed vote of thanks. The program was concluded with visit to demo units of KVK field.