Every year, the month of September is observed as ‘National Nutrition Month’ throughout India. 2023 is the sixth Rashtriya Poshan Maah and theme assigned is Suposhit Bharat, Sakshar Bharat, Sashakt Bharat (Nutrition-rich India, Educated India, Empowered India), which emphasizes the importance of nutrition, education, and empowerment in building healthier and stronger communities.

The MSSRF Biju Patnaik Tribal Agro-biodiversity Centre organised a series of initiatives during September to raise nutrition awareness among tribal populations. Several cluster-level nutrition awareness events were conducted in Boipariguda block, Koraput district. The programmes were focused on vulnerable groups in the villages – such as pregnant women, lactating mothers, adolescent girls, non-pregnant and non-lactating women, also male farmers. The events were organised through the RKVY-funded project on improving household dietary diversity of rural and tribal people with the promotion of nutrition gardens in Koraput district, Odisha.

The programmes were not just informative but also engaging because interactive play-way methods were used to ensure that the message of ‘what is good nutrition’ reached the community. Participants were made aware of balanced diets including quality, quantity and frequency of food intake. Complementary food was also discussed; hygiene practices such as hand-washing and safe cooking practices to ensure maximum nutritional absorption was included. The community members were sensitised on myths and misconceptions surrounding food, empowering them to make informed choices about their diet.

So far, eleven cluster-level sensitisation programmes have been conducted with an active involvement of 560 participants.