Evaluation of the role and impact of participation in homestead food production on the nutritional status of children

The proposed study will be conducted in collaboration with a local NGO named “Centre for Sustainable Agriculture (CSA)†in Warangal district of Telangana.

Primary purpose of the study: Promotion of homestead food production among households with young children to improve quality of their diets . Also to understand the linkages between homestead food production  and  nutritional status of children

The intervention: homestead food productionwill be promoted byCentre for Sustainable Agriculture (CSA) that involves

1.Distribution of seedlings of micronutrient rich varieties of vegetable and fruits based on availability of space, nature of soil, and exposure of light, time available for care, family size and preferences of the family.

2.Green methods of farming: Organic fertilizers, such as vermicompost, compost from kitchen waste, leaf moulds – and home based pesticide preparations such as green chilli and garlic paste, neem seed kernel extract, mustard garlic solution and vavili leaf decoctions. These techniques will be taught to the participants by experts.

3.Knowledge enhancement: Knowledge on selection of appropriate crops, land preparation, cultivation, raising and harvesting the crops will be provided by experts at CSA as appropriate garden practises are necessary for optimum yield and utilization of the produce

4.Nutrition educationwill form an important part of the intervention and will be provided  to households in both intervention and control villages. Education materialssuch as videos, pamphlets, posters, etc will be used to stress on the importance of home consumption of produce such as green leafy vegetables, other vegetables, fruits, milk and milk products, eggs ,meat and meat products among vulnerable members of the family especially the mother and child.

Hypothesis: Homestead food production will improve the dietary diversity and thereby nutritional status of young children.

Expected outcome:

·         Data to be collected will provide information on the effectiveness of an intervention promoting Homestead Food Production for improving dietary diversity and nutritional status of children.

·         The study will also provide information about people’s perception and constraints regarding HFP.

·         The study overall would allow us to extend the intervention in future for effective implementation of such programs in order to improve dietary diversity and nutritional status of children from the rural households.