The Kamrup district administration in Assam has launched the ‘Matsya Paripusti’ initiative in the Bongaon block in an effort to bolster child nutrition during Rastriya Poshan Maah. This program, jointly implemented by various departments including Fisheries, Social Welfare, Elementary Education, Health and Family Welfare, along with technical support from the College of Fisheries Raha and World Fish, aims to improve the nutritional profile of children aged 3 to 10 years.
Supported by the World Bank and funded by the APART Project of the ARIAS Society, Government of Assam, ‘Matsya Paripusti’ is a supplementary nutrition program to be implemented through Anganwadi Centres and LP schools in the Bongaon Block. The innovative initiative focuses on enhancing dietary diversity and micronutrient intake among children.
Notably, more than 100 Anganwadi centers and LP schools in the Bongaon development block have been selected to reach out to approximately 4000 children aged 3 to 6 and 6 to 10 years old in pre-school and LP schools, respectively.
A groundbreaking aspect of the initiative is the introduction of fish powder as a dietary component for schoolchildren, marking the first of its kind in India. Dr. Sanjay Sarma, Fishery Coordinator (APART), highlighted this aspect during the program’s launch, officiated by Sujata Gogoi, Additional District Commissioner.
Prior to the launch, comprehensive training programs were organized for various stakeholders, including Anganwadi workers, helpers, mothers committee representatives, supervisors, CDPO, LP school headmasters, CRCC, cooks, and school management committee members. These sessions, including cooking demonstrations, were conducted by Dr. Baishnaba Charan Ratha, Senior Specialist in Nutrition and Public Health from WorldFish.
WorldFish is playing a crucial role in providing scientific evidence and technical support for the project’s implementation under the joint supervision of the district administration, the Directorate of Fisheries, and in collaboration with the APART project and the India Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). This initiative reflects a holistic approach to addressing child nutrition, combining scientific expertise, technical support, and collaboration between various entities to ensure its success in Assam’s Bongaon block.