Case Study of the Day: Community Nutrition Garden

Background

• Steps were initiated in 2013 to establish nutrition gardens in the backyard land area of households in five villages under a Farming System for Nutrition Study with the concept of Nutrition Garden, in Wardha district in the state of Maharashtra.

About Community Nutrition Garden

• The conceptualization of nutrition garden under a Farming Systems for Nutrition approach aims at optimal utilization of land to grow vegetables that can contribute to the requirements of a balanced diet as well as address particular nutrition deficiencies.
• Nutrition gardens are nothing but home gardens of natural and bio-fortified fruits and vegetables of high nutritive value where the species selection is inclusive of the three vegetable groups viz., green leafy vegetables, roots and tubers and other vegetables with specific attention to addressing micronutrient deficiencies, particularly iron and vitamin A.
• Objectives of CNG include:
  • Generate awareness about nutritionally rich vegetables and fruits.
  • Increase the availability of nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables for household consumption
  • Learn scientific methods of cultivating vegetables and fruits.
  • Demonstrate cultivation of new species (orange flesh sweet potato, cassava, yam).
  • Demonstrate the efficacy of collective action by women in promoting the intake of nutritious  food at the household level.
• Utilities of the CNG include:
  • They provide national food security by supplementing rations and providing essential nutrients.
  • They enhance dietary diversity by providing micronutrients through a constant supply of fruits and vegetables sufficient to meet the family’s requirements.
• Thus, it is evident from the above case study that nutrition gardens can prove to be a sustainable model for providing food security and diversity to combat malnutrition at the household or community level. Hence, the need to replicate at other Panchayat levels in different parts of the country.

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