AMRUTHA
Nutrition food project for Tribe
The Food & Nutrition Board (FNB), set up in 1964, is an attached office of the Ministry of Women & Child Development and has a countrywide set up. Originally with Ministry of Food, the FNB was shifted to Ministry of Women and Child Development (then Department of WCD) in 1993.
Nutrition is the focal point of health and well-being. Nutrition is directly linked to human resource development, productivity and ultimately to the national growth.
Malnutrition is a complex phenomenon. It is both the cause and effect of poverty and ill health, and follows a cyclical, inter-generational pattern. It is inextricably linked with illiteracy, especially female illiteracy, lack of safe drinking water and proper sanitation, ignorance, lack of awareness and ill health. It creates its own cycle within the large cycle of poverty.
Malnutrition in India continues to be at a high level with 42.5% children below the age being underweight and almost 70% being anaemic. 22% children are born with low birth weight. Lack of adequate information on nutritional needs, has been identified as a major factor for the prevailing nutritional situation in the country. Child malnutrition is both the result of economic conditions and poor nutritional awareness. Nutrition education and extension has been recognized as one of the long-term sustainable interventions essential to tackle the problem of malnutrition and to generate awareness and to promote the nutrition status of the country. FNB’s major task is to address this major challenge.
Food and Nutrition Board comprises a technical wing at the Centre, 4 Regional Offices and Quality Control Laboratories at Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai and 43 Community Food & Nutrition Extension Units (CFNEUs) located in 29 States / UTs (Annexure-I). However, there is no CFNEU in the States Uttarakhand, Tripura, Nagaland, Trivendram and UTs of Lakshadweep and Daman and Diu.
Activities of Food & Nutrition Board include:
- Nutrition Education and Training, both for the masses and for ICWDS functionaries,
- Mass Nutrition Awareness Campaigns,
- Development, production and distribution of nutrition education/training material,
- Training in Home Scale Preservation of Fruits and Vegetables and Nutrition,
- Development and Promotion of locally available Nutritious Foods,
- Food Analysis and Standardization,
- Follow up action on National Nutrition Policy.
Mass Media Communication
Development of educational and training material on nutrition has been one of the important activities of FNB Headquarters. Some of the important publications include Handbook on Integrated Nutrition Education, Guidelines for Management of Grade I and II Malnutrition, Wall Hanger on Nutrition of Pregnant Women, Posters on Child’s Health, Girl Child, Nursing Mothers, Complementary Feeding, Instant Food Mixes, Iodised Salt, folders on mother’s milk, green leafy vegetables, fruits and vegetables for vitality, stickers for school children, National Plan of Action on Nutrition, Task Force Report on Micronutrients, India Nutrition Profile 1998 giving disaggregated picture of malnutrition upto district level from 18 States/UTs. The printed publicity material is produced in Hindi, English and 16 regional languages and distributed widely through DAVP.
Mass Awareness Campaigns
Nationwide celebration of events like World Breast Feeding Week (1-7 August) National Nutrition Week (1-7 September), World Food Day (16th October), Global Iodine Deficiency Disorder (IDD) Prevention Day (21st October), Universal Children’s Day (14th November), International Women’s Day (8th March) etc. are organized on specific themes, with the active cooperation of respective State Governments, educational institutions, NGOs and media. Workshops, special nutrition education programmes, telecast / broadcast of video and audio spots on nutrition, coverage of events through All India Radio, Doordarshan and Press were some of the events conducted during the celebration period.
Follow Up Action on National Nutrition Policy
Intersectoral Coordination with key partners was intensified with –
- Health and Family Welfare for reimposing ban on sale of non-iodised salt.
- Food and Public Distribution for including iodised salt under TPDS, fortifying wheat flour with iron and folic acid and distribution through PDS.
- Elementary Education and Literacy for provision of a Nutritionist at the district level for Mid Day Meal programme, use of iodized salt only in the Mid Day Meal Programme.
- ICMR, MHFW for expediting action on double fortified salt.
Expert Consultations on important issues like IYCF, Micronutrient malnutrition, nutrition monitoring and surveillance, vitamin etc organized and the decisions communicated to State Secretaries (WCD) for implementation.
