Impact of Divi Neguma on Moneragala’s nutrition status

U K S Mihindukulasooriya

The Moneragala District is considered as the second largest district in Sri Lanka. The district is enriched with many natural resources. It is the main provider of water under the major irrigation schemes in Sri Lanka, such as, Inginiyagala, Weheragala and Udawalawa. The Inginiyagala Senanayaka reservoir which is the major irrigation scheme under the post independent era in Sri Lanka provides water for paddy cultivation to Ampara and Batticaloa districts while Weheragala and Udawalawa reservoirs distribute water for the Hambantota district.

Also, more than 200 metric tons of paddy is supplied for the local market from this district annually. Other than that, the district is the major sugar supplier for the domestic market. The sugar cane industry is located in Pelwatta and Sewanagala also in the Moneragala district.

In terms of the survey conducted by the UNICEF, it has been revealed that a certain part of the district has been affected by malnutrition. Already, the UNICEF has taken satisfactory measures to overcome malnutrition in the district.

They have identified six Divisional Secretariat Divisions in the district as vulnerable to malnutrition. Therefore, the regional director of health service in the respective divisions has been entrusted to implement various kinds of community programmes in collaboration with other supportive agencies in the district.

Grama Niladharis and Samurdhi development officers of the respective villages have been educated in order to eradicate malnutrition in the respective divisions with the assistance of family health officers.

This team is expected to visit each and every target group at village level and educate them. Also, the health department with the assistance of the Uva Provincial Council is conducting family based education programmes such as ‘Happy family and healthy family’ etc.

Development process

The survey team has identified the various issues in relation to the malnutrition status in the district.

Unless these issues were mitigated or eradicated, the development process could not be achieved with the expected outcome. Following are the main issues in relation to the malnutrition status in the district.

1) Under weight at the birth (Below 2 kg) is 20 percent in the year 2009.

2) Pregnant mothers suffer from anaemia.

3) Deficiency of Vitamin A for pregnant mothers.

4) Stunting rate of the population was 18.5 percent.

5) Population below minimum level of daily dietary energy consumption is 35.3 percent

6) Non-availability of nutrition counselling system at present.

7) Teenagers Marriages.

8) Higher rate of liquor consumption among low-income groups.

Malnutrition issues

The Divi Neguma programme completed its first phase by September 2011. The second phase is scheduled to commence in October 2011. The main concern of the second phase is to accelerate the existing activities in a strategic manner.

Accordingly, the Economic Affairs Ministry has already instructed to change the consumption pattern of the rural masses of Sri Lanka. Basically, they produce many kinds of food items for the local market.

The annual production of fruits in the Moneragala district is estimated at about 7,000 metric tons. In addition to this, farmers of the district cultivate many kinds of additional food crops for the domestic market. But the growers are reluctant to consume the harvest which they produce in many instances. As a result of this, farmer families have been critically affected with malnutrition issues.

Therefore, the ministry has taken a decision to increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables for Divi Neguma beneficiaries by 25 percent. To do so, instructions have been given to add another 50 home gardening projects at each Grama Niladhari division.

Animal husbandry

Divi Neguma beneficiaries have been persuaded to consume more fruits and vegetables which are grown in their own lands. They need not spend extra money for their food items due to the fact that they grow food in their own lands. This initiative would also protect the low-income families from the mythical commercial advertisements of the mass media.

Animal husbandry has also been identified as a major potential for the improvement of the nutrition status of the district. Nearly 5,000 families have been identified for the poultry industry under this programme.

Each family was given ten one-month-old chicks free of charge. It is expected to cover the protein requirement of the family from this project. In addition to this, goats and cows will be provided under the second phase of Divi Neguma programme for selected farmers at concessionary rates.

The government is expected to increase domestic milk supply and milk production with this project. At present, the district produces more than 100,000 milk litres per month. With these new initiatives, the ministry has decided to increase the milk consuming pattern of the rural masses.

In relation to home gardening projects, a new package of seeds will be distributed among beneficiaries. The number of beneficiaries of the Divi Neguma project are estimated to be 1,500,000, of which nearly 50,000 are in the Moneragala district. The beneficiaries are mainly supervised by the Grama Niladhari, Samurdhi officer, agriculture research assistant and the family health officer of the respective divisions. Instructions have already been given to these officers to discuss the family level issues at every fortnight to solve the issues in the families and share the experience among themselves. This is a kind of multi-sectoral approach to solve problems under the Divi Neguma programme.

Inland fisheries

The importance of the inland fisheries industry has already been identified by the authorities under Divi Neguma programme.

The government will invest Rs 130 million for the 14 sectors under the fisheries industry. There is great potential in the Moneragala district to expand the inland fisheries industry. Fisheries cooperative societies for the Senanayake reservoir consists of more than 200 members. They collect fish on a daily basis. But the issue is that the major part of the harvest does not reach the consumers of the district. Therefore, the inland fisheries official of the Moneragala district had already identified 55 fisheries projects under the Divi Neguma programme.

They have already provided 1,581,641 fingerlings for their beneficiaries to increase the inland fisheries harvest. This will definitely help overcome malnutrition in the district.

As the Samurdhi programme has been automatically converted to the Divi Neguma programme, Samurdhi officers were entrusted to implement and coordinate Divi Neguma activities in their respective areas.

Other than savings and nutrition issues, liquor consumption is directly linked to domestic violence, health related issues and social unrest among low-income groups. To mitigate liquor consumption in the district, the role of the Samurdhi officers are important.

The Samurdhi Authority has initiated a social protection scheme to protect and safeguard families from these kinds of social tragedies. Similarly, advice has been given to Samurdhi officers to carry out counselling work for the people who are addicted to alcohol.

It is also a well-known fact that religious leaders in the district too, have a major role to play in this exercise. They are requested to meet people who are addicted to alcohol in their vicinity and change their life pattern in keeping with Buddhist values and culture.

Sanitary facilities

To upgrade maternity health in the district, the Economic Affairs Ministry have taken a decision to upgrade at least two maternity centres in each Divisional Secretariat Division. Accordingly, 22 maternity homes would be upgraded throughout the district.

These maternity homes will be provided with sanitation and electric facilities, proper seating arrangements, televisions and other recreation facilities for pregnant women. Also, this new concept is expected to be carried out to eradicate the malnutrition status of women in the district. In addition to this, maternity centres could be used to provide the required quantities of fruits and vegetables at a low cost. There are certain schools in the district which have no proper sanitary facilities.

Due to this fact, some students are reluctant to go to school. Therefore, the ministry has been able to identify the gravity of the problem and take necessary action to remedy the issue. Accordingly, financial assistance has been given to the District Secretariat to put up new toilets where necessary. Up to now it has been identified to construct 172 new toilets in 108 schools in the district.

The Divi Neguma programme is being implemented in accordance with the millennium development goals. So, the programme aims to eradicate malnutrition not only in the Moneragala district, but throughout the island with satisfactory results in the near future.

The writer is the District Secretary/Government Agent, Moneragala