Agricultural-based Interventions for Sustainable Nutritional Security

In spite of various nutrition intervention programs being operational in India, it still accounts for 40 per cent of the world’s malnourished children and about 60 per cent of Indian women are anemic. It has been realized that agricultural interventions are more beneficial and sustainable in addressing malnutrition among the rural poor than the direct nutritional intervention programs. Incorporating nutritional objectives in agriculture will be a win-win situation with the poverty alleviation, income growth, nutritional security and ultimately achieving goals of India’s agricultural development. In this context, this study has thrown light on the issue of agricultural production systems viz. rice, vegetable, and sugarcane influence on nutritional security of rural households in those systems. The study also gives a view about scope for inter-institutional linkages among developmental departments to promote nutritional security. The study depicts the potential of vegetable systems to supply healthy food especially rich in vitamins and micronutrients to the weaker sections of the society and expose the weaknesses of non-vegetable production systems. Agricultural- based kind wages and woman income management in the households seems to be favorable for enhanced household nutritional security. Location specific agriculture-based interventions would be necessary to safe guard regional nutritional security balance. The existing weaknesses in institutional linkages amongst development departments suggest immediate reorientation in their approach. The study underlines the need for redefining of agricultural extension to address nutritional security concerns. We hope that this study linking agriculture and nutrition shall further strengthen the institutional linkages among concerned department as well as guides future policies and planning in the India’s sustainable food and nutritional security.