Nutri garden: A sustainable approach to improve nutritional security & dietary diversity of farm families

Introduction

Despite being the world's second-largest producer of fruits and vegetables, India continues to face challenges in promoting their consumption among its population. This problem is largely attributed to deficiencies in the supply chain and distribution networks, along with limited awareness about the availability of locally grown produce (Sachdeva et al., 2013) [8] . A more integrated strategy is required to strengthen the role of agriculture in promoting better nutrition and to make farming systems more nutritionsensitive. India is ranked 102 nd out of 123 countries in the 2025 Global Hunger Index, with a score of 25.8, indicating a serious level of hunger. The country still experiences a high prevalence of malnutrition, making its prevention and management a significant ongoing challenge. The stunting level is 37.51% and underweight is 17.43% as reported in the National Family Health Survey 5 (NFHS-5). A review of research exploring the relationship between food security and malnutrition indicates a clear link between household food insecurity and undernutrition among children in middle-income countries. The findings suggest that conditions such as undernutrition and stunting are direct outcomes of inadequate access to sufficient and nutritious food at the household level. www.extensionjournal.com Tackling food security challenges amid rising demand calls for a comprehensive and integrated strategy. One effective approach is the promotion of nutrition gardens, which contribute significantly to improving dietary diversity by ensuring a regular supply of fruits and vegetables rich in essential micronutrients. These gardens are specifically developed to fulfill the nutritional requirements of families, offering a sustainable solution to strengthen food security and enhance diet diversity, thereby helping to reduce malnutrition at both household and community levels. Nutri-gardens or backyard Kitchen gardens are a sustainable, low-cost strategy for farm families to grow nutrient-rich fruits, vegetables, and herbs in their own backyards. By providing a consistent, year-round supply of fresh produce, they reduce malnutrition, enhance dietary diversity, boost household income, and promote selfreliance. They address "hidden hunger" (micronutrient deficiencies like iron and vitamin A) by increasing daily intake of vitamins and minerals, crucial for reducing anemia and malnutrition in rural women and children. Nutri-gardens promote organic farming practices, waste recycling (compost pits), and the use of indigenous/traditional crops. They reduce household expenditure on food, and the surplus produce can be sold for income. These gardens are often managed by women, strengthening their role in ensuring family food security. Dietary diversity refers to the number of different food groups consumed by individuals or households over a specific period. At the household level, it reflects access to a variety of food groups, while at the individual level, it serves as an indicator of nutrient adequacy. Greater dietary diversity is associated with improved food security for both individuals and households. Food security is founded on four key pillars: availability, accessibility, utilization, and stability of food. In addition to food security, nutrition security is essential for maintaining good health. Nutrition security exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social, and economic access to adequate, safe, and nutritious food that satisfies their dietary requirements and preferences for an active and healthy life. Therefore, ensuring both food and nutrition security is crucial for achieving and sustaining overall well-being. Cultivating and managing a kitchen or nutrition garden is considered an effective strategy for advancing food and nutrition security, as it encourages the growth of green leafy vegetables, fruits, vegetables, and traditional crops in home gardens. This study examines the impact of the Nutrition gardens established, focusing on the following objectives: 1. To evaluate the socioeconomic conditions of the farm families. 2. To analyze the impact of Nutrigarden on nutrient intake and dietary diversity of the farm families after the intervention.

Materials and Methods

Results and Discussion

The demographic analysis showed that most respondents were aged 30-39 years, followed by 30% in the 0-19 year's age group, 17% in the 40-59 years group, and only 11% aged 60 years and above. Regarding caste, 61% of the respondents belonged to the SC category, while 31% were from other categories. In terms of occupation, 90% of the farm women were homemakers, followed by those engaged in business (5%) and service (5%). Additionally, 50% of the respondents lived in joint families, 28 percent of them belonged to nuclear family and 22 percent of the sample belonged to extended family. Further 86 percent of the respondents had basic education, 28 percent completed primary & entered into secondary education and 14% of them were illiterate. Regarding farming experience, 67% of the farm women had less than five years of experience, 28% had more than five years, and only 5% had no farming experience. The primary reason for maintaining a nutrigarden varied: 33% of respondents cited family health, while 67% were motivated by financial benefits, with many unaware of the nutritional advantages. On average, more than half of the farm women (56%) spent about two hours per day tending to their nutrigarden, while 44% dedicated around one hour daily. Similar findings on the demographic characteristics of farm families in Karnataka were reported by Prema B. Patil (2020) [4] . The analysis of percentage adequacy for average food consumption before and after the introduction of the nutrigarden showed an increase across all food groups, ranging from 4% to 34%. However, the intake of roots and tubers still fell short of National Institute of Nutrition standards. Fruit consumption improved by only 2% relative to NIN recommendations. Additionally, sugar intake decreased by 8%, reflecting the impact of training sessions that raised awareness about the negative health effects of excessive sugar consumption. (Table - The analysis of percentage adequacy for average nutrient consumption before and after the introduction of the nutrigarden showed an increase in the intake of various nutrients, ranging from 1% to 5% (Table 3). According to Suri, unbalanced diets and insufficient food are directly associated with high rates of stunting, overweight, and mortality among children under five. Addressing food security effectively requires multiple strategies, and community and nutrition gardens can play a significant role in improving dietary diversity and strengthening national food security to help reduce malnutrition.

Conclusion

The present study has emphasized the contribution of Nutrigarden towards achieving the sustainable development goals. In conclusion, the nutrition education provided through Trainings and demonstrations conducted by KVK, Nellore 2 (Periyavaram) to the Farm women about the importance of nutrigarden and its role in improving the nutritional status of entire family has positive impact on farm families and improved the availability, accessibility, utilisation and consumption percentage of different food groups and also the diversification of farm-grown vegetables and fruits has enhanced the family's overall nutrient intake. The farm women gave the feedback that availability of nutrigarden improved the frequency of consumption which would not have been possible if they had to purchase it from outside which gave them the satisfaction that they were consuming the self -grown, pesticide free Organic vegetables. It also allows families to redirect the money saved from buying fruits and vegetables toward other food items, contributing to overall well-being.

References

1. Gopalan C, Rama Sastri BV, Balasubramanian SC. Nutritive value of Indian foods. Hyderabad: National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research; 2002. p. 89-117.
2. Gopalan C, Rama Sastri BV, Balasubramanian SC. Nutritive value of Indian foods. Food and Scientific Reports. 2016;1:27-27.
3. Suri S. Nutrition gardens: A sustainable model for food security and diversity. ORF Issue Brief No. 369. New Delhi: Observer Research Foundation; 2020.
4. Patil PB, et al. Nutri garden: A low cost sustainable approach to improve nutritional security of farm families. 2020.
5. Vijayalakshmi K, Abarna Thooyavathy R. Nutritional and health security through integrated gardens for women's empowerment: The CIKS experience. Universitas Forum. 2012;13(1):1-11.
6. Kumar BM, George SJ, Chinnamani S. Diversity in the homegardens of Kerala in Peninsular India. Agroforestry Systems. 1994;25(2):243-262.
7. Mamgai P, Nautiyal P, Jethi R. Nutri gardens: A rich source of nutrition for farm women. Gujarat Journal of Extension Education. 2021;28(1):18-21.
8. Sachdeva S, Sachdev TR, Sachdeva R. Increasing fruit and vegetable consumption: Challenges and opportunities. Indian Journal of Community Medicine. 2013;38(4):192-196.
9. Sharma A. Nutritional gardens to fight hidden hunger. Intensive Agriculture. 2010:3-8.
10. Bhavana A, Gayathri B, Manjunatha R. Impact of demonstration of nutri garden in farm families. Pharma Innovation Journal. 2021;10(10):95-102.