Children in Kamrup district schools partake of their midday meal infused with protein-rich fish powder.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
GUWAHATI
The infusion of fish powder in meals has helped an Assam district reduce malnutrition among children under 10 years of age significantly, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Friday.
The Kamrup district administration implemented Matsya Paripushti of Fish Nutrition, a pilot project in 2022-23 under the Prime Minister’s Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY). The district later entrusted the International Centre for Living Aquatic Resources Management, also known as WorldFish to study the impact of the project.
The project involved a strategic approach to improve dietary diversity. It sought to provide an alternative, viable protein source by incorporating nutrient-dense fish powder into the meals of children aged 3-10 years.
Some 3,000 children across 55 Anganwadi centres and 43 lower primary schools in the district were covered under the project which entailed procuring powdered fish from local women fish farmers and integrating it into the diet of the children.
Citing the study report, the Chief Minister said the initiative has been “groundbreaking”.
According to the study, fish-fortified meals have led to a 3.63% reduction in stunting among the children and 5.46% while the number of underweight and severely underweight children has dropped by 5.46% and 1.67% respectively.
The study also said the body mass index of the targeted children increased from 15.54 to 16.11. Their average weight increased from 23.83 kg to 25.12 kg and their average height increased from 122.83 cm to 123.95 cm.
“This pioneering effort not only addresses malnutrition but also supports local fish farmers, creating a sustainable model for nutritional improvement,” the Chief Minister said.
Keerthi Jalli, the Kamrup District Commissioner, said the scope of the project was expanded after “very positive results” with fish during Poshan Maah in 2022-23.
“Egg in midday meal was introduced a decade ago, establishing protein in the diet as a keystone in the fight against malnutrition. Assam is a fish-eating State and we wanted to explore a source that could be within the taste palate of the child and would also provide livelihood to local fish farmers,” she told The Hindu.
Apart from bringing more Anganwadi centres and LP schools under the fish-specific project, the district authorities monitored the growth parameters scientifically in 2023-24 by dividing the students into a study group and a control group.
“We found out that 100 grams of fish powder is cheaper than 100 grams of egg and yields better results. We have not found any children who refused it or were allergic to fish,” Ms. Jalli said.
Anganwadi workers said children who do not want to have fish have the option of eating plain khichdi.
The Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying launched the PMMSY in 2020-21 with a Budget of ₹20,050 crore for an “ecologically healthy, economically viable, and socially inclusive development” of the fisheries sector of India.
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