Womenfolk earning livelihood thru’ fish, vegetables farming

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DHAKA, Aug 28, 2020 (BSS) – Mariam Begum, 46, who hails from Srimangal upazila in Moulvibazar district, came to local EPI centre with her five-year-old granddaughter. The baby looks like three-year-old as she is suffering from malnutrition.

Mariam said she was not previously aware that nutritious foods are so much important for the children. “I now feed my granddaughter as per menu given by the EPI centre keeping consistency with her weight,” she said.

Like Mariam’s granddaughter, many children are suffering from malnutrition in Bangladesh. But the rate is higher in Sylhet division. Experts are saying that the malnutrition of the children is a big public health problem in developing countries like Bangladesh.

Sub-standard foods are mainly responsible for it. Usually the women and children are mostly suffer from malnutrition. A long-term impact of malnutrition is seen among the children. It puts a negative impact on their natural growth, development of talent, diseases and education.

According to a report of Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2014, the rate of malnutrition is the highest in Sylhet division. As many as 49.5 percent children under five-year-old are physically short which indicates their acute malnutrition. The child mortality rate here is 67 in every 1000.

The mothers and children of the country’s northeastern region are suffering from long-term malnutrition than other regions as the rate of their (mothers and children) shortness is more.

To address the issue, an international research organisation named ‘World Fish’ is working on meeting nutrition of the mothers and children of the area.

The organisation has been working with the poor and ultra-poor for five years in phases by forming a consortium of eight organisations.

District Fishery Expert of World Fish Dr Md Mahbubul Alam Mia said they are working in remote areas of Sylhet and Moulvibazar districts by producing fish and vegetables at homesteads through a project named “Suchona Programme”.

“With the support of the government, we the eight organisations are working in different ways aimed at reducing the rate of the shortness of the children below two years age through nutrition development of the mothers and children,” he said.

Alam further said they are working to make those aware of nutrition knowledge and health alongside fish and vegetable farming who cannot consume nutritious food and those who have no knowledge about it.

The nutritious condition of the first 1000 days is considered as an important indicator worldwide for health and growth of a child.

By giving importance to the issue, another organisation of the consortium “Save the Children” is working in the project.

Save the Children Technical Advisor Dr Raisul Haque said special attention will have to be paid to caring, immunisation and foods if the first 1000 days of any baby are given importance.

Moulvibazar District Fishery Officer Md Emdadul Haque said the womenfolk involved in the project are mainly doing fish and vegetables farming.

“We, on behalf of the government, are extending technical support as well as providing training and advice to them and also observing their work,” he said.

Haque said it’s not only playing an effective role in fulfilling nutrition deficit of the women and children of the region, also helping generating alternative employment.

The fishery officer said a team of observers from Indian state of Orissa visited the project site few days ago. “They are considering replicating the scheme in their state,” he said.

From the project, Haque said, the women of the area are provided with 7/8 types of vegetables seeds and fingerlings of Telapiya, Mola and Curp fishes twice in a year — winter and summer.

Those who have limited lands, are cultivating fishes and vegetables by taking lease of ponds and lands, the fishery officer said, adding they’re earning livelihood by selling the surplus vegetables and fishes.

Stressing the need for launching such a project in other areas of the country, the experts say it will help prevent malnutrition and change the living standard of the people of those areas in one hand, while it will play an important role in national development in other hand.

Besides, they said, the issue of women empowerment is being given importance through this work.