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COMPENDIUM, IEEC-2023   ( ISBN : 978-81-967860-4-5 )
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Theme-3: Bio-diversity and Resource Conservation, Livelihood and Food Security towards Sustainable Agri-food Systems

Impact of Bajra Based Product on Adolescent Girls through On Farm Trial in Sahibganj District of Jharkhand

Maya Kumari , Ashok Kumar, Amrit Kumar Jha, Birendra Kumar Mehta and Adarsh Kumar Srivastava

Krishi Vigyan Kendra, (B.A.U., Ranchi), Near saksharta more, Sahibganj-816109, Jharkhand, India
mayabau@rediffmail.com

Abstract

Malnutrition as well as under nutrition is widely prevalent in rural and urban area of the Jharkhand, especially amongst vulnerable section of the population i.e. pre-school, school going children, adolescent girls and nursing women. Malnutrition is common in adolescent girls. Anemia among adolescents adversely affects growth, resistance to infections, cognitive development and work productivity. Inadequate nutrition in adolescent can potentially retard growth and sexual maturation, although these are likely consequences of chronic malnutrition in infancy and childhood. Iron deficiency in adolescent girls is due to blood losses with menstruation, lack of knowledge about nutritive value of farm produce, lack of knowledge about preparation technique of iron rich products and lack of knowledge about recommended dietary allowances for the adolescent girls. The farmers of hilly area of Sahibganj districts produce large amount of Bajra. Bajra is a full source of iron and phosphorus. Hence, a bajara based food product was developed by Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Sahibganj and evaluate its impact on adolescent girls of Banjhi Village in the Sahibganj district of Jharkhand to eradicate anemia through on farm trial (OFT) during 2013-14. Bajra based food product developed had positive influence on weight, height, arm circumference, chest circumference and head circumference of the girls studied under the trial. The cost of 1 kg market available women food is Rs. 500. Whereas, the bajra based products costed only 44.14 per kg. Another thing is that, all the ingredients of bajra based products are locally available. So, farmers can easily accept bajra based products for eradicating anemia in adolescent girls.

IEEC-2023 at RARI (SKNAU, Jobner), Jaipur, Rajasthan organised by Society of Extension Education, Agra, India