A success story of Mr. Dumeng Majhi

An outcome of Nutri-garden intervene on food security and dietary diversity

in a rural village of Odisha

Pipalpadara is a remote village located in Kashipur block of Rayagada district, Odisha. It is predominantly inhabited by tribal communities, primarily the Kondhas and Sauras. The village has approximately 40 households. The primary source of livelihood for the villagers is traditional agriculture. Most of the villagers are marginal farmers holding small patches of land using indigenous methods of agriculture by using locally available resources. The second preferred livelihood option is the forest produce which plays an important role in providing food and income as well. The terrain in this area is hilly and non existence of irrigation facilities making the community heavily dependent on seasonal monsoon cycles for their agricultural activities and productivity. During post monsoon period the fields are remain unused. Most of the households managed their food requirements from their limited yields of one or two crops only. The inadequate access to food and lack of dietary diversity significantly affects many of the households particularly the vulnerable members (Women & Children) impacting both on their health and nutritional well being. In response to this scenario Living Farms initiated an intervention in this village through introducing nutri-gardens to ensure year round availability of nutrition rich food, improve dietary diversity at household level and to break the circle of malnutrition. Dumeng Majhi, a 45 year old farmer belonging to the Kandha community lives with his wife and their four children. He is a marginal farmer and cultivates rice, millet and very occasionally vegetables in traditional practices. The family’s principal diet is millet and rice. Albeit his family is surviving with their limited resources, however they are not getting enough nutritious food to lead a healthy and disease free life. His wife is anemic and children are malnourished and he often spends his hard earned money for their well being. Living Farms started an awareness campaign on nutri-garden in Pipalpadara village in collaboration with agriculture department. Demonstration nutri-gardens were prepared and farmers are invited to visit the sites for their experience. Living Farms staff and agriculture extension workers interacted with farmers and encouraged them to make their own nutri-garden in their suitable land sites. Dumeng and few other farmers showed their interest and with support of Living Farms staff members the sites were finalized. Dumeng selected around 10 decimal of homestead land for preparing his Nutrigarden. Earlier, this land was not being used and remains barren for long. He prepared the bed with the supportive supervision of field teams. He learned and adopted organic practices including composting, mulching and mixed cropping methods. He was provided with all necessary inputs such as a variety of high-quality seeds suitable to the local soil and seasonal conditions as part of the initial support. In the first season, Dumeng cultivated variety of crops including spinach, okra, brinjal, tomatoes, pumpkins, beans, and leafy greens. He also planted fruit bearing trees like banana, papaya and guava along the fence. Last couple of season he has produced and consumed the variety of vegetables from his nutrition garden. His family is now getting good quality organic and nutrition rich diversified vegetables throughout the year. This small step ensured the food security of the family along with good health and improved nutrition status of his wife and children. His financial status is changed as the family health expenditure is reduced and his earnings are increased on selling of surplus vegetables in the local market. He and his family is maintaining the garden and fostering a sense of ownership and long term sustainability. He is no more dependent on any external support like for seeds and organic manure. Inspired by his success, many villagers started their own Nutrigarden and he has become a role model for his community. Key Outcomes:  Family consumes a balanced diet enriched with vitamins and minerals.  The health and nutrition status has significantly improved, with reduced instances of deficiencies, infections and on health expenditure.  Surplus vegetables are sold in the local market, generating additional income. Challenges and Learning’s:  Initial reluctance due to traditional farming practices was overcome through community sensitization.  Seasonal pest attacks were managed through natural pest repellents and companion planting techniques.  Maintaining the garden in summer season.  Consistent follow-ups and refresher training ensured sustained engagement in the initiative. The case study of Dumeng Majhi’s family highlights the transformative impact of nutrition gardens in ensuring food security, improving health outcomes, and fostering self-reliance among tribal communities. With continued awareness and support, such initiatives can play a crucial role in addressing malnutrition and promoting sustainable agriculture in tribal regions.