J. Radhakrishnan urged people to help maintain the garden and get benefits from it

Chennai establishes first nutrition garden to address hidden hunger

In collaboration with Rotary Club of Madras East, M S Swaminathan Research Foundation has established a nutrition garden behind Thiruvanmiyur railway station in Chennai city to demonstrate and improve nutrition literacy among urban people.

J. Radhakrishnan, Principal Secretary, Department of Health and Family Welfare, Tamil Nadu, inaugurated ‘Nutri-rich Plants/Awareness Garden.’

Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, Chief Scientist, World Health Organization, Gagandeep Singh Bedi, Principal Secretary/ Commissioner Greater Chennai Corporation, and Rtn. M Nachiappan, Director–Environment Rotary Club of Madras East, was present on this occasion.

J. Radhakrishnan said, “We should upkeep such gardens as it is quite an innovative idea. It will help us achieve sustainable development goals, especially addressing hidden hunger,” he said.

The nutrition garden is a scientifically established intervention to categorize plants based on the nutritive properties, provide planting material to the community and build awareness on cultivation and consumption to address nutrition requirements.

Dr. Soumya Swaminathan said that non-communicable diseases need to be prevented with increased nutrition intake.

“It is clear that while we have progressed in many spheres, we are still backward when it comes to nutrition. If India is to be a superpower, we need good nutrition and development. We also need lifestyle changes to address hypertension and diabetes, which are very high in Tamil Nadu. Dietary diversity must be taught from childhood, and diets at home and school have to be nutritional and balanced,” she added.