Success Story

Various kitchen gardens initiatives have been undertaken by PPHI Sindh in District Matiari under the EU-PINS project. To develop the Kitchen Gardening project further with highly enriched multi vitamin vegetables at OTP Sites as source of sensitization for the caretakers/local communities of the OTP Sites catchment areas, District Office Matiari in liaison with NRSP has initiated capacity building of gardeners/malhis of health facilities. District Monitoring Officer, Mr. Nizamuddin Jaiser along with Ms. Benazir, Agriculture and Food Security Officer NRSP had joint visit of BHU Pluses Khandu, Bhanoth, BHU Saeed Khan Laghari and RHC Bhit Shah to spread awareness on kitchen gardening and seed distribution. They also provided information on quality and nature of soil, and suitable vegetables for various seasons.

The health facilities were provided 70 grams packet of multi vegetables seed for cultivation by European Union. Names of the seeds that were provided are as follows: Chilies, Eggplant, Apple Gourd, Tomato, Ridged Gourd, Bitter Gourd, and Squash. The vegetables that will grow from these seeds are an important source of nutrition and disease prevention. In-charge Medical Officers of OTPs have also received guidance to play a supervisory role in making the health facility green.

Kitchen gardens are beneficial to the staff of OTPs, provide encouragement to villagers to engage in kitchen gardening and also become the reason of beautification of land. They provide sustainable alternatives to packaged foods available in the market. During these testing times of a global pandemic, food chains have been negatively impacted all over the world. It has hence become even more important to grow our own food if one possesses the necessary means for that.