Sundargarh (Odisha): In the tribal dominated Sundargarh district in western part of Odisha, the introduction of superfood Spirulina and Ragi by the local administration has proved to be a game changer in the landscape of health and nutrition of children. The special drive, envisaged by young IAS officer Nikhil Pavan Kalyan, Collector and District Magistrate Sundargarh, over a year ago has tasted success by benefiting over 1.5 lakh children through 3,801 Anganwadi centres covering both urban and rural parts of the district. 

Under the leadership of the Collector, the special nutrition programme for children was inaugurated on 15th August 2020 in Sundargarh. Under the programme, Spirulina fortified sugar and chikki and Ragi (Millet) laddu mix are being provided to Anganwadi children throughout the district. 

“My baby was underweight during birth. The Anganwadi workers came to home and gave Spirulina fortified sugar. Now she is gaining weight and remains active,” shares Chumuki Khadia of the mining affected Koira block whose daughter is a beneficiary of Spirulina programme in Sundargarh district.

Sundargarh has become the first district in Odisha as well as in eastern India to have introduced Spirulina, a superfood, for children’s nutrition. The programme was initiated as a pilot project at Lephripara block on August 15, 2020, and later expanded to four more blocks of Rajngangpur, Kutra,  Tangarpali and Hemgir.

“Following the pilot, a survey was undertaken by the administration. The parents of beneficiary children shared positive feedback in the survey. After the successful pilot project, Spirulina fortified sugar and chikki distribution has been expanded throughout the district. Now, over 1, 42,000 children are being benefited through 3,801 Anganwadi centres under the programme, ” informs the Collector Sundargarh. 

Spirulina fortified sugar is given to infants between 07 months to 2 years, while Spirulina fortified Chikki is provided for children between 2-6 years of age. Thousands of Anganwadi children are benefited in Sundargarh through the programme largely helping in their physical, mental and cognitive growth.

The Anganwadi workers play a major role in successful distribution of Spirulina sugar and Chikki and Ragi laddu mix. They distribute Spirulina and Ragi laddu at children’s doorsteps as the Anganwadi Centres are closed for COVID. The Anganwadi workers regularly monitor the height, weight and growth of beneficiary children and record the same from time to time.    

Spirulina is a plant based food supplement. It curbs any nutrient deficit among children. It helps to improve eyesight, digestive system, purifies blood, boosts immunity, activates the brain, prevents anemia, has anti-inflammatory quality and develops health of children. So this initiative has become effective in helping officials to deal with any malnutrition related issues among children. 

To implement the programme, District Administration Sundargarh has signed an MoU with the Spirulina Foundation, Karnataka for technical support. The administration has engaged Women Self Help Groups (WSHGs) in the Spirulina Chikki making who are being trained by the partner foundation.      

This innovative nutrition programme helps to augment the livelihood of Women Self Help Groups (WSHGs). The District Administration further aims to promote Spirulina cultivation in the district which will be instrumental to enhance the livelihood of local farmers. With these steps, the Sundargarh district prepares itself to come up as a Centre of Excellence in the subject of Spirulina encompassing research, cultivation and production.

Similarly, as a part of the special nutrition programme for children, Ragi Laddu mix is being distributed through the Anganwadi centres in Sundargarh. Ragi laddu mix is provided as a morning snack for children between the ages 3 to 6. The mothers then prepare various snacks like Laddu, Kheer, Halwa and Barfi for their kids by using the Ragi Laddu mix.

Bijaylakshmi Nayak, a mother from Kirei GP in Sundargarh district, says “I make Ragi Laddu, Halwa and Kheer from the mix for my daughter and she eats it happily. She has become active, studies and plays with other children more than before. Ragi laddu mix has greatly enhanced the health of my child and I thank the administration for this unique programme.” 

Being a locally available foodgrain, Millets is cultivated in 11 out of 17 blocks at Sundargarh. The district is the highest Millet cultivating geography among 30 districts of the state under Odisha Millets Mission, the flagship initiative of the Government of Odisha. 

For its rich nutritive value, Millets is beneficial for children. The Ragi Laddu mix production is being handled by WSHGs of the district. Thus, the millet value chain in the district serves three purposes like improving farmers’ income, enhancing children’s nutrition as well as augmenting livelihoods of WSHGs.

“Be it Spirulina or Ragi, our aim is to achieve proper nutrition of children. While doing so, we also augment the livelihood of Women SHG members and farmers. As far as millets is concerned, we promote this local food under this nutrition drive," adds the Collector and DM Nikhil Pavan Kalyan. He appreciates the role of everyone involved in this child welfare initiative and making it highly beneficial for the key stakeholders.

Under the Women and Child Development Department, Govt of Odisha, the Spirulina sugar and Chikki and Ragi Laddu mix distribution programme is operationalised through the Anganwadi centres under the ICDS network of the district.  The special nutrition programme is run by the district administration with financial support from the District Mineral Foundation, DMF Sundargarh which has health and nutrition as one of its priority areas. 

Understanding people’s needs rightly and designing policy intervention for the same at the right time is the keystone of good governance. The Spirulina and Ragi programme for children’s nutrition in a tribal majority region of India like Sundargarh steered by a young bureaucrat like Nikhil Pavan Kalyan can be presented as a case study in the spirit of public welfare programmes.