Nourishing The Tribal Food Systems                  

• The tribal food system is dependent on dryland agriculture, forests, common property, water resources, and biodiversity, says Basanta Kumar Kar, recipient of the Global Nutrition Leadership Award
• India’s 10.5 crore tribal population from about 705 distinct Scheduled Tribes (STs) representing 8.6 per cent of the total population is hardest hit by the menace of hunger, malnutrition, and pandemic. Estimates show that about 40 per cent of under-five tribal children in India are chronically malnourished (stunted). Chronic malnutrition impacts survival, growth, learning, performance in school and productivity as adults. More than half of preschoolers and more than one-third of school-age children and adolescents belonging to scheduled tribes were reportedly anaemic. Almost 85 per cent of children in the age group of 6-23 months do not receive a minimum acceptable diet that includes a minimum of four or more food groups. Reportedly, 40 per cent of women consume fried food, and 18 per cent consume aerated drinks. The prevalence of overweight and obesity is 10 per cent among scheduled tribe women which is unusual and alarming. This is of serious concern, indicating that the food system is failing to deliver and supply safe and nutritious diets.