Growing nutritional, herbal plants under Poshan Vatika would reduce external dependency: Minister

The plantation of nutritional and herbal plants under Poshan Vatika would reduce external dependency and make communities Atmanirbhar for their nutritional security, Minister of State for Ayush and Women and Child Development Munjpara Mahendrabhai said Tuesday.

Poshan Vatika has nutrient rich plants as prescribed in Ayurveda for a nutritious diet.

Addressing a webinar on the importance of 'Poshan Vatika' for the alleviation of malnutrition, he said they can play an important role in enhancing dietary diversity by providing micronutrients through a constant supply of fruits and vegetables sufficient to meet the family's requirements.

“It can prove to be a sustainable model for providing food security and diversity to combat malnutrition at the household or community level,” he said. He further said that rural areas have ample space and establishing a nutri garden/PoshanVatikas is far simpler as farm families are involved in agriculture.

“Poshan Abhiyaan aims to encourage convergence among various Ministries to tackle the problem of malnutrition. Plantation of nutritional and herbal trees under PoshanVatika would reduce external dependency and make communities Atmanirbhar for their nutritional security,” he said. Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Ministry of Ayush, said the ministry will collaborate with 3,000 Aanganwadis to take forward the campaign of establishing Poshan Vatikas and will also decide the nutritional and herbal trees that will be planted there. “If we pay attention to nutrition then there would be no need for medicines. If we do not pay attention to our diet, then even the medicines won't work,” he said quoting a verse from a scripture.

Indevar Pandey, Secretary, Women and Child Development Ministry, said his ministry along with the Ministry of Ayush was at the forefront of making sure that the wellbeing of women and children was being taken care of.

“The main motive behind launching Poshan Abhiyaan is to address the problem of malnutrition. Aanganwaadi covers 50% of the people who are poor and don't get proper nutrition while Poshan Abhiyaan covers the other 50 per cent who might not be poor but need information about proper nutrition,” he said.

Varalakshmi Venkatpathy, Policy Consultant and Independent Researcher, suggested that plants such as Moringa, Guava, Banana and Tulsi are great candidates to plant in a Poshan Vatika as they deal with problems of malnutrition in women and children.

The government launched Poshan Abhiyan in March 2018 to combat malnutrition. Since then, the month of September is observed as 'Poshan Maah' with a view to carry out special dedicated activities ushering in behavioural change in the society.

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