Odisha Govt Ties Up With WorldFish For Inclusion Of Fish In Supplementary Nutrition Programme

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has signed an agreement with WorldFish for inclusion of fish and fish-based products in Supplementary Nutrition Programme (SNP).

The Women and Child Development (WCD) department and Mission Shakti and WorldFish on Tuesday signed an MoU in a virtual ceremony for the pilot project of the provision for children (3 to 6 years), pregnant & nursing women and adolescent girls in 50 Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) of Mayurbhanj district. It is a 5- year technical collaboration between the department and the WorldFish.

Following are the objectives of the MoU:

• Training & empowering Mission Shakti Women Self Help Groups (WSHGs) involved in nutrition-sensitive fish production systems in Gram Panchayat tanks
• Fish processing & market linkage
• Dissemination of the benefits of fish-based nutrition through social and behaviour change communication materials
• Leveraging nutrition protagonist Tiki Mausi and documenting and sharing learning with stakeholders
• WSHGs in the coastal fishing villages will also be trained for seeking business opportunities in solar dried fish and fish powder following food safety standards of FSSAI

Congratulating the WCD and MS Department and WorldFish for the technical collaboration, additional chief secretary and Development Commissioner Suresh Chandra Mohapatra said such innovation will go a long way in accelerating nutrition status in the state. He hoped that it will not only make best use of locally available fisheries resource but also empower the women economically in the long run.

Dr Gareth Johnstone, Director General of WorldFish informed that technical experts from WorldFish would support WSHGs in preparation of fish powder using hygienically solar fish driers on a pilot basis over next 6 months. ICAR Central Institute of Fisheries Technology, Cochin, an India research partner of WorldFish will supply the low cost poly house solar fish driers for this program.

WorldFish is an international non-profit research organisation with headquarters at Penang, Malaysia. Its mission is to harness the potential of fisheries and aquaculture to reduce poverty and hunger in developing countries.