Activating the community for nutritional improvement
Devadas, R.P.
Food and Nutrition Bulletin 23(2): 119-132
2002
ISSN/ISBN: 0379-5721 PMID: 12094662 DOI: 10.1177/156482650202300201Document Number: 266033
This presentation provides information on community-oriented action research conducted under the leadership of Dr. Rajammal P. Devadas, the recipient of the IUNS International Nutrition Award for 2001. Educating, activating and energizing the community with empowerment have been the focus of the action-oriented research. In the four decades of work presented, massive efforts have been made in the areas of infant and preschool child nutrition; nutritious noon meal programmes for children; integration of nutrition, health and sanitation concepts in the primary school curriculum; use of local foods to eradicate malnutrition; introduction of novel and underexploited foods; food-based approaches to overcome micronutrient malnutrition; equipping women for food and nutrition security; and nutrition education. These efforts have been activated through development of relevant food and educational materials, their introduction to the community, impact evaluation, follow-up and implementation of the concepts in relevant national programmes with massive training efforts. Many of the efforts outlined have formed the basis for regional and nationwide nutrition intervention strategies. The experiences gained and training efforts developed have gone beyond the country-level exposure to training and equipping nutrition workers in other countries.