Salempura, Halwara village residents attend nutrition guidance camps

Though villagers are the primary food producers of the country, many remain unaware of the nutritional potential that their produce holds. Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) steps in to bridge this gap.

Recently, residents of Salempura and Halwara villages actively participated in nutrition awareness camps organised by the Department of Food and Nutrition, College of Community Science, PAU.

The main aim behind the initiative was to strengthen the rural health and diet literacy by addressing everyday nutritional challenges faced by women and the elderly.

At Salempura village camp, women gathered to learn about the growing problem of anaemia. On the occasion, the faculty and students explained its symptoms and prevention, while many expressed relief at discovering that affordable, locally available foods such as jaggery, green leafy vegetables, millets, roasted gram and seasonal fruits could help improve their iron intake.

At Halwara village camp, elderly residents and families discussed rising cases of diabetes and lifestyle-related disorders. Villagers shared their concerns about fatigue and poor diet, while the PAU team guided them on the role of six essential nutrients, calcium, vitamin D, vitamin C, iron, vitamin B12 and dietary fibre in maintaining strength and controlling glucose levels.

Interactive discussions and personalised counselling sessions gave villagers a chance to ask questions and receive tailored advice for healthier living.

“We never realised that jaggery and roasted gram could help us fight anaemia. These are things that we already have at home,” said Surinder Kaur from Salempura village.

“I was worried about my rising sugar levels. The camp showed me simple ways to control it without expensive medicines,” said a resident of Halwara village. The camps, supervised by Dr Renuka Aggarwal and Dr Amarjeet Kaur, were supported by enthusiastic PAU students who prepared educational materials and engaged directly with the community.

wuw