ICAR-SBI conducts Tribal Nutrition Awareness Campaign

ICAR – Sugarcane Breeding Institute (ICAR-SBI), Coimbatore in collaboration with Sathy Tiger Reserve (STR), conducted ‘Tribal Nutrition Awareness Campaign’ and launched its STC (Scheduled Tribe Component) project in Sathy on Dec 22.

Inaugurating the campaign, Shri R. Kirubashankar IFS, Deputy Director, STR & District Forest Officer, Sathy appreciated the efforts of ICAR-SBI in identifying ‘malnutrition’ as a serious issue among the tribals of STR and organizing a series of awareness  campaigns to address this problem.

Dr. G.Hemaprabha, Director of ICAR – SBI in her Presidential address, said that the tribals should be aware of the fact that education alone would pave the way for their economic development and prosperity. 

International Year of Millets

Listing out the career opportunities available for the tribal children, she mentioned that school-going children, girls in particular, should not be undernourished. Informing the audience that the United Nations has declared 2023 as 'International Year of Millets' on India’s proposal, she said that millets should again find a regular place in the tribal diet as they have high fibre, protein and antioxidant contents.

In his Introductory remarks, Dr. D. Puthira Prathap, Principal Scientist and Nodal Officer, STC project mentioned that about 450 tribals belonging to the settlements of  Ramaranai, Bejalatti,  Thadasalatti, Ittarai, Maavanatham & Kalithimbam in Talamalai region and Bathripadugai in Kadambur region of STR will be benefitted by the project. 

All households of Bathripadugai settlement are being supplied with Beehive boxes. 
Farm tools, household items such as radio sets, seed kits for setting up a nutrition garden , areca nut seedlings, liquid jaggery and millet seeds will be given to the tribals, he added.