A dimension within Nourishing Futures
Highlights forest products and traditional foods like mahua and ragi for child health and nutrition.
150 voices speak to this
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Positive
Overall Community Sentiment
The Mahua from our forest is very rich in vitamins and is given to children as food for their nourishment.
— Gitanjali Bhoi · Sundargarh, Odisha
Mahua is found in the forest, it is a very vitamin-rich food, it would be good to give this to children.
— Laxmi Bagh · Subdega, Sundargarh, Odisha
Mahul is found in the forest. If pitha made from mahul is given to children, their mental and physical health will remain good.
— Laxmi Bagh · Karamdihi, Sundargarh, Odisha
Including Mahula laddus made from Mahula found in our forests in school's midday meals can provide nutritious food to children.
— Anjana Khadia · Subdega, Sundargarh, Odisha
Including ladoos made from Mahua, a food found in our forests, in the school's mid-day meal will be nutritious for children.
— Anjana Khadia · Sundargarh, Odisha
Including food items like mahua ladoo made from mahua found in our forests in the school's midday meal can provide nutritious food to children.
— Anjana Khadia · Subdega, Sundargarh, Odisha
If the nutritious 'char laddoo' made from Mahua found in our forests is included in the school's mid-day meal, children will be nourished.
— Anjana Khadia · Sundargarh, Odisha
We can bring Mahula's char tendu from the forest and use it in food and also give it to children.
— Anupama Mahanand · Subdega, Sundargarh, Odisha
The forest tribal food for the people, particularly the Madia's tiffin, provides truly vital and abundant nutrition for children as well.
— Padmini Bhoi
It is true that bringing vegetables and leafy greens from the forest provides nutritious food for a growing body.
— Devisingh Solanki · Alirajpur, Madhya Pradesh
If we talk about the most nutritious food, if the government provides our forest products like Mahul, Char, and Kendu as food in MDM (Mid-Day Meal), then children will eat it and become intelligent.
— Priti majhi
Mahua flowers and other foods obtained from the forest are very nutritious. Therefore, it is appropriate to include these foods in PDS or mid-day meals.
— Anjana Khadia · Sundargarh, Odisha
Speaking of the most nutritious food, if the government provides our forest products like Mahul, Char, Kendu, etc., as food in MDM (Mid-Day Meal), children will eat them and become intelligent/wise.
— Priti majhi
If forest-based foods like Mahua, Chironji, and Kendu were prepared and given to our school children in their Mid-Day Meal, it would be beneficial.
— Priti majhi
Forest fruits like Kendu, Char, and Mahul, found in the forest, contain abundant nutritious food. It would be good to include them in the mid-day meals of students.
— DASHARATH SINGH · Jamunkira, Sambalpur, Odisha
Forest fruits like Kendu, Char, and Mahul, found in the forest, are rich in nutrition. It would be beneficial to include them in students' midday meals.
— Kumudini Chhanchan · Bhojpur, Sambalpur, Odisha
Forest produce fruits found in the forest like Kendu, Char, and Mahula contain abundant nutritious food. It would be good to include them in students' mid-day meals.
— Kumudini Chhanchan · Bhojpur, Sambalpur, Odisha
Ragi became food in the forest. We provide ragi to children as a midday meal in schools, and through this, mothers' physical and mental developmental intelligence will grow.
— Padmini Bhoi
Give children forest food or good food available from the forest in school.
— Puspanjali Nag
Tungemasha, potatoes, and Panikonda are all found in the forest. If Panikonda is included in PDS and mid-day meals, then children will remain healthy by getting nutritious food.
— Basanti · Dashapalla, Nayagarh, Odisha
Among forest products, Mahua is also a nutritious food. It would be good if the government utilizes this Mahua in various ways and provides it in school mid-day meals.
— Anjana Khadia · Sundargarh, Odisha
Our jungle, our jungle, our jungle, mahul will be found. Children will get many vitamins from mahul. Provide children with many facilities for making food.
— Laxmi Bagh · Subdega, Sundargarh, Odisha
Nutritious forest produce, such as millet, will be provided to children as part of their midday meals through the Public Distribution System.
— Padmini Bhoi
Forest-produced fruits like Kendu, Char, and Mahula, found in the forest, contain a large amount of nutritious food. It would be excellent to include these in students' midday meals.
— Kumudini Chhanchan · Bhojpur, Sambalpur, Odisha
If the government distributes forest foods like Mahua, Kendu, and other such forest produce to children as PDS food.
— Priti majhi
Fruits obtained from the forest are also important for the physical and mental development of children and for providing nutrition; the government should include them as traditional food items in school mid-day meals.
— Anil Pargi · Maliya Dokar, Banswara, Rajasthan
If the government distributes forest foods like Mahua, Kendu, Chaar, etc. as PDS food to children.
— Priti majhi
If food made from Mahua is given in schools, children will be able to get nutritious food.
— Anjana Khadia · Subdega, Sundargarh, Odisha
If food made from mahua found in our forests and food from charla are included in the school's midday meal for children.
— Anjana Khadia · Sundargarh, Odisha
Now, the 'Pita Kanda' (a type of yam) found in our Gandhamardhan hills, if brought and given to children along with nutritious food, it will be good for them.
— Prabhulal Saraf · Nandupāla, Balangir, Odisha
The roots, herbs, and water chestnuts found in the forest are very vitamin-rich and nutritious foods. It would be good if these were provided in PDS and as midday meals for school children.
— Sushama Digal · Dashapalla, Nayagarh, Odisha
The most nutritious locally edible forest food items should be included in PDF mid-day meals, and the government wants to promote their nutritional value for children.
— Laxmanlal
In the forest, there are many types of food, such as various nutritious tubers (kandha), which can be given during midday meals in schools and also protect against various diseases.
— Deepanjali Nayak
If forest foods like Char, Mahua, Kendu, Mango, and Jam are added to PDS and mid-day meals, consumers will get nutritious food.
— RINA BEHERA · Sundargarh, Odisha
Local forest produce like Kendu, Char, Jamun berries, Mahula contain nutrients. To provide more nutrition for the physical and mental development of children, wild leafy greens and traditional foods from the forest should be included in school mid-day meals. During festivals, we do not include packaged food and items from markets/shops to offer to guests.
— Kumudini Chhanchan · Bhojpur, Sambalpur, Odisha
Local forest produce like Kendu, Chaar, Jamukoli, and Mahul are rich in nutrients. Wild leafy greens and traditional foods should be included in school midday meals to provide more nutrition for the physical and mental development of children. During festivals, we do not provide packaged food and market/shop items to guests.
— Kumudini Chhanchan · Bhojpur, Sambalpur, Odisha
It would be beneficial to give food items made from Mahua to pregnant women, children, and school children.
— Laxmi Bagh · Subdega, Sundargarh, Odisha
It would be good if forest products like Mahua, Chaar, and Kendu were included in the preparation of our children's Mid-Day Meal.
— Priti majhi
In schools where midday meals are provided, if fodder from the forest is brought and made into laddus, nutritious food can be obtained.
— Parikshit Majhi
It would be good if the government distributes the four valuable Kendu fruits found in the forest as food for children in areas where midday meals are not available.
— Priti majhi
AI-synthesised pieces woven from many community voices on this theme. They may contain errors or interpretation — they're a reflection of the stories, not a record of fact.

We ensure our children's well-being and cultural continuity by teaching them about the forest's bounty and the richness of our ancestral language and traditions.

By incorporating local, traditional grains like ragi and millet into school lunch programs, communities can significantly improve children's health and well-being.

By cherishing and utilizing the traditional foods and herbs found in our forests and lands, we can sustain ourselves and combat malnutrition while preserving our natural heritage.

Our community advocates for the integration of traditional, locally sourced foods into public programs to nourish children and preserve cultural heritage for future generations.
The voices in this theme were gathered by these organisations through their community reports.