Malkangiri: The Malkangiri district administration in its bid to combat the long-term nutritional challenges caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and reverse migration of labourers is emphasising on the state government-sponsored ‘Mo Upkari Bagicha’ (My Beneficial Garden), a report said.
The programme aimed at eradicating malnutrition and providing livelihood has come as succour for scores of women in this district during these tiring times.
Covid-19 spreading rapidly in this district has robbed the livelihood of the people. The Odisha Livelihoods Mission (OLM) has come to the rescue of women through the state-sponsored programme ‘Mo Upakari Bagicha’.
The programme implemented by the district rural development agency (DRDA) aims at encouraging women in the district to grow vegetables and fruits at a minimal cost in the backyards of their houses to get fresh vegetables to meet their need and sell the surplus in the market to earn a living.
The district administration is of the view that a well-developed nutrition garden is likely to supplement the daily dietary requirement of a vulnerable family, including pregnant women, lactating mothers and children.
Reports said over 4,000 women in 18 panchayats under Mathili, Malkangiri, Khairput and Chitrakonda blocks have benefitted from this programme in 2019-20 fiscal. Tasting success, the women are now eager to spread their area of cultivation.
“Prompted by this success, the district administration is now implementing the programme on priority basis in Swabhiman (cut-off) Anchal to bring in change in the lives and livelihood of tribal women,” Balmukund Bhuyan, Project Director, DRDA said.
The district administration is making elaborate preparations to provide jobs to migrant returnees and women in villages who have lost their livelihood due to the pandemic. This year, the district administration plans to engage 35,000 women either individually or through self-help groups in this ‘Mo Upakari Bagicha’ programme.
The women will work and cultivate nutritious vegetables, greens and fruits in their backyard gardens which they can use for self-consumption and sell the surplus in the market. This will boost rural economy.
Many children have died in past in the district due to malnutrition for which the administration aims at converging the state and Centre sponsored programme to check malnutrition with the help of these kitchen gardens, the Project Director said.
The district has earned appreciation at state and national level for successful implementation of this scheme. The DRDA is providing financial and technical assistance as well as good quality seeds and saplings to the women working under the programme in various panchayats.
The women have been asked to abide by the Covid-19 safety norms and work in their gardens under the programme. The members of women SHGs are also being provided with training by the gram rojgar sevaks, Krushi Mitra, Prani Mitra and MBK outfits, he added.
PNN
