Details of field trials and testing, if any to be carried out in the field among the target community

1. Field trial on Improved Vegetable Nutrition Garden:  With an aim to build the capacities of selected rural families for ensuring healthy diet that contain adequate quantities of vitamins, macro and micro nutrients by producing diverse kinds of vegetables, trials on improved vegetable Nutrition Garden on an area of 6m x 6m were conducted at 6 locations in 3 villages namely Nagri, Ekamba and Uruguttu. The improved model involved many crops that can be repeatedly harvested to meet the family’s vegetable needs throughout the year. The adopted model can produce 300 kg of vegetables annually, sufficient to meet vitamins and minerals requirement of a family comprising four members. The critical inputs like vegetable seeds, fruits saplings and vermi-compost were provided. The trials were initiated in the month of November which included selection of farmers, land preparation and training (off-campus) of farmers on layout and scientific cultivation of vegetables. The crops were scientifically selected to be highly nutritious and capable to meet the nutritional requirement as per RDI. The details of crops grown in 1^st phase are given in table no -1. Apart from vegetable seeds, fruit saplings namely mango (2), guava (1), lime (1), papaya (5) and banana (2) were also provided to each selected farmer. The package of practices followed to raise vegetables in nutrition garden was as per recommendation of Birsa Agricultural University, Ranchi. The data of sowing, harvesting period, plot size are given in table no.-2. Selected crops in the 1^st phase included radish, fenugreek, coriander, spinach, pea, beet root, French beans, carrot, tomato, cauliflower and amaranths. Most of the vegetables in the nutrition garden were direct sown except tomato, cabbage and cauliflower. Performance of each vegetable is given in table 3. The result showed that 103.15 kg (mean over 6 location) of vegetables were obtained in 4 months from the demonstration model of 36 m². It was recorded that cabbage gave maximum yield of 10.75kg from an area of 0.8 m x 2.5 m followed by cauliflower (6.3 kg), amaranths (5.8), tomato (6.18 kg), French bean (5.5 kg) and spinach (5.5 kg). Monthly availability of vegetables were also recorded and given in table 4. It was recorded that highest amount of vegetables were produced in the month of April followed by March and February.

Table 1: Details of vegetables raised in Nutrition Garden (6m x 6m)

Table 2: Date of sowing and Harvesting Period in a 6mx6 m Nutrition Garden 

Table 3: Performance of each vegetable in Nutrition Garden (Mean over 6     locations)

Table 4: Monthly availability of vegetables in Nutrition Garden

           Intake  of vegetables of selected households were recorded before and after the intervention through 24 hours recall method for 3 consecutive days and results were expressed in terms of consumption unit(CU). The finding (table-5) revealed that there were significant enhancement (P≤ 0.05) in the intake of GLVs and other vegetables, whereas no change was observed in the intake of roots and tubers. As potato and onion which constitute important tuber crops of this region were not included in the model and might be the reason for no change in the intake of roots and tuber after intervention.

Table 5: Impact of Kitchen Garden on the vegetable intake of selected families (n=6)

Values are: Mean ± SD

                  NS= Non Significant

                  P’ = Level of Significant of ‘t’ test for comparison between Pre and Post 

                        Intake

In the nutshell, it can be concluded that nutrition garden is the easiest way to ensure access to a healthy diet that contains adequate amounts of essential nutrients by producing diverse kind of vegetables. The suggested model of 36m² has potential to meet the nutritional need of a family comprising four members.

2. Awareness programme: Two awareness cum workshops each of one day duration on “Nutrition and Home Garden” were organized on 30.10.2018 and 30.03.2019, respectively in which a total of 359 farmers from Ranchi, Ramgarh, Hazaribagh, Gumla and Bokaro districts had participated. In this programme they were exposed to importance of Home Garden for micronutrient security, improved vegetable garden techniques and household nutrient management through cost effective diet. Documentary video film on “Grih Vatika”, ‘Preservation of fruits and vegetables’, ‘Soy product technology’ and “Value addition of Ragi” were also played to build their knowledge in nutrition and home garden. Field visit of participants were also organized. The farmers were very much impressed with 36 m² model of home garden and opined that the visit was very useful.
3. Training programme on “Value Addition of Fruits and Vegetables”:- Two  training programme of 3 - day duration on “Value addition of fruit and vegetable” were organized on 3-5 January and 17-19 January, 2019 , respectively in which 52 farmwomen (26 in each training)were benefited. They were given practical training on preparation of pickles, candies, preserve, tomato jam, other tomato products, bathua bari, chutney etc.
4. Training programme for Trainers on Nutrition and Home Garden : Two trainer training programme of 3-day duration  were organized on” Nutrition and Home Garden” on13-15 February 2019 and 26-28 March 2019,  respectively in which  total 54 participants (representatives of SHGs, NGOs) from Bokaro, East Singbhum, Simdega, Gumla, Ranchi and Ramgarh were trained. Following topics were covered by concerned scientists for capacity building of trainers.
   1. Importance of Home Garden, economics and establishment.
   2. Crop calendar for kharif, Rabi and summer seasons and their production technologies.
   3. Knowledge about the importance of fruits and vegetables for Nutrition and Health.
   4.  Good food practices that enhance the preservation, uptake and utilization of micronutrients.
   5. Integrated insect and pest management of home garden vegetables.
   6. Demonstration on preparation of various low cost vegetable based nutritious recipes.
   7. Demonstration on preparation of preserved products of surplus produce of home garden for its off season use.