(MENAFN- Trend News Agency)
As many as 3,751 preschool children within 3 to 6 years of age,
in Lakhimpur, are being fed little millet khichdi twice a week as
part of the Odisha Millets Mission, a flagship programme launched
by the state to revive millets in the tribal areas here. The
initiative, run in collaboration with the Mission Shakti
Department, also introduced millets-based dishes at anganwadi
centres.
“Earlier, millets were considered a poor-man's food. But now,
even the government has recognised its health benefits,” Dani
explains, hopeful that the younger generation will come to
appreciate the nutritive value of this cereal crop.
Adivasi women play an instrumental role in introducing
millets-based recipes to the meals of schoolchildren, to fight
malnutrition and ensure dietary diversity among preschool children.
The need for such a programme stems from the abysmal state of
nutrition among young ones in the state — over 69% of children in
Odisha in the age group of 6 months to 4 years are anaemic,
according to the National Family Health Survey-5, 2019. Similarly,
in the age group of 5 years, 33.5% are underweight, 43.1% are
stunted and 15.9% are wasted. In Koraput district, where the
mission has been introduced, over 44% of the children are
underweight, 40.6% are stunted and 28.5% are wasted.
Located in the Eastern Ghats, Koraput is home to several
indigenous communities and represents a unique mosaic of ethnic
life and culture. Over 50% of its population belongs to the
Scheduled Tribes, who sustain their livelihood primarily on rainfed
agriculture, collection of uncultivated wild food and forest
produce.
Over the years, monocropping and the use of chemical inputs to
enhance crop yield eroded the rich agrobiodiversity once abundantly
found in the tribal hinterlands. As a result, the area under millet
cultivation shrunk, forcing the tribes to replace
climate-resilient, nutritious traditional crops with hybrid paddy,
maize and cotton. The public distribution of rice and wheat also
lowered the importance of local food culture and preferences, while
the influence of urban food diminished the demand for local
cuisine, especially among the youth.
“These days, the diet of tribal children is not optimally
diverse and has, instead, become cereal-centric,” says District
Social Welfare Officer of Koraput Bidyulata Patra.“The traditional
varieties of millets, pulses, vegetables and wild fruits, which
they once consumed regularly, are now missing from their
plates.”
Children between 0 to 6 years need special attention as the
nutrition they receive at this time lays the foundation for their
optimal development. During this phase, lack of a nutritious,
balanced diet could result in lifelong health implications and
increase the risk of a child becoming undernourished and prone to
micronutrient deficiency.
To address this challenge,“Inclusion of millets in the
Integrated Child Development Service programme would transform the
nutritional status of preschool children,” believes Sabita Sahu,
Child Development Project Officer in Koraput's Lakhimpur block.
“This would increase dietary diversity and nutritional gains and
also revive the age-old traditional culture of millet
consumption.”
District Collector of Koraput Abdaal M Akhtar (IAS) stresses,
“It's high time we promote these nutri-cereals to fight against
malnutrition as millets are traditionally a major staple among
tribal communities. They are also climate-resilient crops, can
thrive with less water and have pest-resistant qualities.”
Similarly, Dr Debabrata Panda, Assistant Professor, Department
of Biodiversity and Conservation of Natural Resources at Koraput
Central University, points at the“immense potential' that such
traditional crops have“to bridge the nutrition gap among women and
children”.
“The diversity of local food should not be underestimated,” he
warns.
Several studies have emphasised that millets are rich in protein
with a balanced amino acid profile, making them superior to most
other cereals like maize, wheat and rice. Millets are high in
calcium and folate content, which helps in foetus development,
whereas magnesium and potassium control blood pressure. The crop is
non-glutinous, easy to digest and also beneficial for women
suffering from polycystic ovarian disease, as it helps to cut down
visceral fat and regulate menstrual cycles.
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