Nutrition

Madhya Pradesh is a nutrition-sensitive state. Several problems afflict the state due to the poor nutrition indices, especially that of children and women. According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-3, 60% of children in the state were underweight. The percentage of underweight children was 43 in NFHS-4. Rampant anaemia among adolescent girls and mothers is also a big reason for the poor nutritional status. Efforts are on to improve the health and nutrition status of children, pregnant women and lactating mothers and adolescent girls through anganwadi centres under the Integrated Child Development Project (ICDS). Nutritious food is provided to older children through the mid-day meal scheme at school level. Through the National Food Security Act (NFSA), efforts have been made to provide nutrition to the children of the deprived sections.

Vikas Samvad has always considered food and nutrition security as very important, right from the beginning of it’s work. The organization has been undertaking research and documentation work on the challenging situation of nutrition in Madhya Pradesh and also trying to bring the issue to focus of discourse through different communication media. Vikas Samvad has always emphasized on the community-based malnutrition management model to deal with the issue. The idea is that the solution to eradicate malnutrition will come out of the community itself. This process of eradication will not have the role of any single government department, but there will be joint efforts and integration of different departments, schemes and the community. Departments related to drinking water, sanitation, agriculture, health, horticulture, Panchayati Raj and others will play equally important roles. Since 2015, Vikas Samvad has been undertaking intensive work on this issue in five districts of Madhya Pradesh. The work is being extended to other states too and the positive results of the efforts are now visible.