Project

Nutrition – Awareness Program on Micronutrient Deficiencies

Nutrition – Awareness Program on Micronutrient Deficiencies
The Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India, has declared Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham as a Center of Excellence in Tribal Empowerment (Tribal CoE). This multidisciplinary center has faculty expertise from various Amrita departments.

The Nutrition – Awareness Program on Micronutrient Deficiencies was a collaborative effort of Amrita Center for Research in Analytics, Technologies & Education (AmritaCREATE) and Food Nutrition and Health Education Center.

The existence of concurrent micronutrient deficiencies in Indian tribal women of reproductive age has received little attention. This is thought to be due to reduced nutrition and dietary diversity, as well the dying knowledge of ethnic local foods and their significance. The program proposed that these issues can be addressed through awareness and training. And that educating women would help to alleviate the nutrition and dietary deficiencies, raise the families’ health status and to bring in positive behavioral change in the community. The program is focused on education of the importance on health of the micronutrients. The program also promotes locally available food resources and creates awareness on ethnic/traditional foods rich in micronutrients. The program targets tribal women of reproductive age group in Coimbatore District of Tamil Nadu.

Program objectives:

The program seeks to;

1. Impart knowledge on prevailing micronutrient deficiencies
2. Educate the significance of micronutrients in their routine diet
3. Promote locally available food resources rich in micronutrients
4. Raise awareness of ethnic local foods rich in micronutrients

Geographical Area:

Tribal hamlets of Coimbatore District;

1. Periyanaickenpalayam Block : Kondanur, Kondanur Pudur, Panapalli, Gandiveli
2. Karamadai Block : Seenkuli, Colony Pudur
3. Thondamuthur Block : Attukal, Mullangadu, Perumakoil Pudur
4. Madukkarai : Iyampathy, Murugampathy, Chinnampathy, Pudhupathy,Pichanur

Target group:

• In all the selected hamlets the majority of the women in the group are of reproductive age (Adolescent girls, newly married, pregnant, or lactating women) with the remainder of the group experiencing menopause, all are between the ages of 14 to and 60 years.
• Indirect beneficiaries – Male community members

Main activities:

• Developing educating materials
• Dissemination of videos and posters
• Conducting street plays and puppet shows
• Promoting micronutrient rich foods
• Organising Training programmes
• A Participatory learning method is adopted using Modules, Flip Cards, flip books, Posters, videos and Tutorials in small group settings for optimal learning
  1.  Activities 1: Cooking competition & Recipe demonstration
  2.  Activities 2: Promotion of local and ethnic foods
  3.  Activities 3: Game-Match the foods for deficiencies
  4.  Activity 4: Village mapping of local foods and seasonal availability rich in micronutrients
  5.  Activity 5:  Telephonic consultation, counseling and knowledge testing