Nutrition security and homestead gardeners: Evidence from the Himalayan mountain region

Background: Addressing undernutrition and malnutrition requires a multi-pronged approach targeting different populations with appropriate interventions. Knowledge and perception (K&P) of Individuals and communities about nutrition to human health relationship/continuum is a prerequisite for addressi...

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Autores principales: Patra, Nirmal Kumar, Nina, Nich, Pathak, Tapan B., Karak, Tanmoy, Babu, Suresh Chandra
Formato: Journal Article
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: MDPI 2025
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/176216
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author Patra, Nirmal Kumar
Nina, Nich
Pathak, Tapan B.
Karak, Tanmoy
Babu, Suresh Chandra
author_browse Babu, Suresh Chandra
Karak, Tanmoy
Nina, Nich
Pathak, Tapan B.
Patra, Nirmal Kumar
author_facet Patra, Nirmal Kumar
Nina, Nich
Pathak, Tapan B.
Karak, Tanmoy
Babu, Suresh Chandra
author_sort Patra, Nirmal Kumar
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Background: Addressing undernutrition and malnutrition requires a multi-pronged approach targeting different populations with appropriate interventions. Knowledge and perception (K&P) of Individuals and communities about nutrition to human health relationship/continuum is a prerequisite for addressing malnutrition in rural and mountain communities. Assessing K&P is essential for developing strategic interventions to up-scaling K&P of communities and achieving nutrition security. Homestead gardens are a proven intervention for achieving nutrition security for all family members of gardeners. Methods: This paper includes homestead gardeners from the Himalayan Mountain Region (HMR) as respondents. We developed a scale to assess the K&P of respondents, based on ratings from 20 judges. A total of 134 issues/items have been retained in the scale from macronutrients, micronutrients, minerals, and vitamins. A framework has also been developed and adopted for the study. A knowledge and perception index (KPI) has been developed based on the respondents’ responses. We have reviewed and analysed the national policy interventions for augmenting the K&P of the study community to achieve nutrition security. Results: The nutrition K&P of respondents are inadequate and far from the desirable level. Policy review and analysis indicate that the creation of K&P in the community to contribute to self and family nutrition security was previously highly neglected. Conclusions: The policy process of national, state, and county/district-level development sectors in developing countries under the HMR may take the initiative to ensure self-nutrition security by creating K&P of the community on nutrition issues. The designed scale is prudent requires testing and validation for measuring farmers’ K&P on nutrition, which may be adopted in future studies and policymaking not only nationally but also from an international perspective.
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spelling CGSpace1762162025-12-08T10:29:22Z Nutrition security and homestead gardeners: Evidence from the Himalayan mountain region Patra, Nirmal Kumar Nina, Nich Pathak, Tapan B. Karak, Tanmoy Babu, Suresh Chandra malnutrition nutrition security policy analysis undernutrition Background: Addressing undernutrition and malnutrition requires a multi-pronged approach targeting different populations with appropriate interventions. Knowledge and perception (K&P) of Individuals and communities about nutrition to human health relationship/continuum is a prerequisite for addressing malnutrition in rural and mountain communities. Assessing K&P is essential for developing strategic interventions to up-scaling K&P of communities and achieving nutrition security. Homestead gardens are a proven intervention for achieving nutrition security for all family members of gardeners. Methods: This paper includes homestead gardeners from the Himalayan Mountain Region (HMR) as respondents. We developed a scale to assess the K&P of respondents, based on ratings from 20 judges. A total of 134 issues/items have been retained in the scale from macronutrients, micronutrients, minerals, and vitamins. A framework has also been developed and adopted for the study. A knowledge and perception index (KPI) has been developed based on the respondents’ responses. We have reviewed and analysed the national policy interventions for augmenting the K&P of the study community to achieve nutrition security. Results: The nutrition K&P of respondents are inadequate and far from the desirable level. Policy review and analysis indicate that the creation of K&P in the community to contribute to self and family nutrition security was previously highly neglected. Conclusions: The policy process of national, state, and county/district-level development sectors in developing countries under the HMR may take the initiative to ensure self-nutrition security by creating K&P of the community on nutrition issues. The designed scale is prudent requires testing and validation for measuring farmers’ K&P on nutrition, which may be adopted in future studies and policymaking not only nationally but also from an international perspective. 2025-08 2025-08-27T14:32:46Z 2025-08-27T14:32:46Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/176216 en Open Access MDPI Patra, Nirmal Kumar; Nina, Nich; Pathak, Tapan B.; Karak, Tanmoy; and Babu, Suresh Chandra. 2025. Nutrition security and homestead gardeners: Evidence from the Himalayan mountain region. Nutrients 17(15): 2499. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17152499
spellingShingle malnutrition
nutrition security
policy analysis
undernutrition
Patra, Nirmal Kumar
Nina, Nich
Pathak, Tapan B.
Karak, Tanmoy
Babu, Suresh Chandra
Nutrition security and homestead gardeners: Evidence from the Himalayan mountain region
title Nutrition security and homestead gardeners: Evidence from the Himalayan mountain region
title_full Nutrition security and homestead gardeners: Evidence from the Himalayan mountain region
title_fullStr Nutrition security and homestead gardeners: Evidence from the Himalayan mountain region
title_full_unstemmed Nutrition security and homestead gardeners: Evidence from the Himalayan mountain region
title_short Nutrition security and homestead gardeners: Evidence from the Himalayan mountain region
title_sort nutrition security and homestead gardeners evidence from the himalayan mountain region
topic malnutrition
nutrition security
policy analysis
undernutrition
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/176216
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