A groundbreaking initiative to address child malnutrition by incorporating nutrient-rich small fish powder into children’s diets has yielded encouraging results in Kamrup district, Assam. Launched as part of the Poshan Maah celebration in September 2023, the six-month pilot programme has significantly improved children’s Body Mass Index (BMI) and reduced cases of underweight and severe stunting.
The programme, titled ‘Pilot-cum-Scaling: Inclusion of Nutrient-Dense Small Fish Powder in Diets among Pre-School Children of Anganwadi Centres and LP School Children through a Partnership Approach at Bongaon Block in Kamrup District of Assam’, shared its findings on Thursday, reporting notable health improvements among the children. The Kamrup district administration led the project with support from World Fish, a CGIAR research organization, and financial backing from the APART Project of ARIAS Society, in collaboration with the Assam Department of Fisheries.
Kamrup District Commissioner Keerthi Jalli officially presented the results during a programme held at her office in Amingaon, accompanied by Dr. Sanjay Sarma, Fishery Coordinator of the APART Project, and Pratul Barman, District Fishery Development Officer, Kamrup.
Expressing her satisfaction with the programme’s outcomes, Commissioner Jalli emphasized the improvements in children’s nutritional status. “The success of this initiative highlights the potential for similar interventions to be expanded across Assam, and the partnership between World Fish, local authorities, and various stakeholders offers a model that could be replicated in other regions facing nutritional challenges,” she remarked.
Jalli also underscored the importance of fish in the local diet, noting, “Fish is a staple in Assam and is rich in essential nutrients. Recognizing its value in addressing nutritional deficiencies, this project introduced small fish powder into the diets of pre-school and primary school children in Bongaon Block, Kamrup District. The initiative involved 55 Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) and 43 Lower Primary (LP) Schools, reaching about 3,300 children. The children received fish powder-enriched meals three times a week, with servings of 7g for AWCs and 8g for LP schools. This is a first in India.”
The positive outcomes of this pilot project suggest it could serve as a model for similar efforts to combat child malnutrition across the country.
Source: The Sentinel of this land, for its people
