Kitchen Garden in Schools – Kondagaon

Basic question to be solved:

Poor diet and low quality MDM in Primary and Middle schools in the district makes no improvement in children’s physical and mental wellbeing also poor management of stock, no cross verification and monitoring system in MDM System makes the condition worser.

Perspective/Context

Aurangabad district is predominantly a rural farming community with high rates of poverty and disease. With adolescents representing nearly 35% of the total population size, it makes adolescents extremely vulnerable While referring the issues regarding low Hg level, malnourishment and stunted children, it has been identified that the nutrition intake in Rural HHs, Schools & AWCs are not appropriate and much below from the ideal consumption rate. In this case, an idea of Nutrition Garden is came in picture. The Nutrition garden primarily intended for continuous supply of fresh vegetables for school use. It may eventually enhance the nutrition intake of students especially through improved dietary diversity. This may impact student’s BMI and other relevant indicators and showing decline in SAM and MAM cases.

Stakeholders

  1. Horticulture, Education Dept and Gram panchayat are the main Stakeholders
  2. The Seed and Fertilizers will be arranged from School’s Contingency fund. (Max of Rs.500-800 for 4 Dec land)
  3. The Plot preparation will be initiated by local GP by providing fund from “GP Nidhi”
  4. The Other requirements like fencing and Miscellaneous expenses arranged by Jilla Panchayat Nidhi

Criteria for Success

  1. Ensuring proper nutrition intake of children in schools and AWCs
  2. Improvement in the conditions of malnourished children
  3. Reduce load in kitchen workers to arrange extra vegetables from open market
  4. Replicating the model in all schools with the help of local available fund.

Constraints within the initiative

  1. It is difficult to find schools fulfilling the selection criteria for KG like Complete boundary wall, water source and Separate playground.
  2. The Funds arranging for land preparation from GP
  3. No vegetable seedlings available at ATMA or Horticulture Depts.