Dear Sir/Madam,
I have been associated with this forum since 2010. It is my first contribution to forum. I am a agri-development professional and two years back I completed my second master from ISS, the hague, the Netherlands. My contribution is based on my field experience in hot desert area, it is regarding enhancing nutrition for vulnerable community who live in harsh , horrible context in rural hot desert areas that lies in western Rajasthan of India. Lives and livelihood of these people are uncongenial since average rainfall of this region is approximately 150 MM while average rainfall of India is 1200 MM. The ground water is almost not suitable drinking for human being as well as livestock as the water is highly saline. Likewise, temperature is an extermly hot because there is no vegetation cover area in the rural and effect of climate changes.
The source of perusing livelihood for disadvantaged people is to grow millet and Moth (pulse crop) in rainy season and rearing livestock particularly Goat. In arid climatic zone where Goat and millet in crop has recommended by various research institution. Subsequently, most of women and children are anemic due to lack of availability of nutritious food to the community. To provide nutritious food to women, children as well as men , there is an urgent need to develop a robust policy at national level and local level. Through this mail, I would suggest key course of action to mitigate malnutrition status in hot desert are as below:
1. Millet is main agriculture crop for the area. hence, central government and local government must plan to do more research on developing desert resistant varieties. Secondly , the research institute should develop nutritive varieties for existing main crops so that available food diet would be nutritious.
2. National policy maker should keep in mind that there is to get drinking water is a great concern for the community. In order to get irrigation water, domestic use of water There is a key solution that is construction of Tanka which must have capacity of 60000 liter water. The water should only collected in natural rainy days at individual household level. Furthermore, BAIF ( is a national NGO) has attempted and tested the model. BAIF's model is the WADI model, is successful model in desert area. WADI model comprises water tank (60,000 liter capacity), 100 fruit plants at their own infertile or fertile land, improved goat breed and kitchen garden vegetable crops. This model demonstrated that WADI model owner enable to get Rs. 40,000 per annum after 2-3 years of establishment of WADI. Fresh fruit, vegetable and milk of goat availability leads to reduce malnutrition in hot desert rural region.
For more deatil of WADI model, you may click over - www.baif.org.
I am looking for your acceptance and comments.
best regards
Ishwar
Ishwar Babu Bairwa