PAU observes World Breastfeeding Week with awareness campaigns in Sangrur and Patiala KVKS

Ludhiana, August 7, 2024: In observance of World Breastfeeding Week (1st to 7th August), Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), in collaboration with ICAR-ATARI, Zone 1, Ludhiana, organized a series of impactful events at Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) in Sangrur and Patiala. Under the theme "Closing the Gap: Breastfeeding Support for All," these events aimed to promote breastfeeding awareness and education among rural women and community health workers.

At KVK Sangrur, the activities commenced with a farm women goshti on August 2, 2024, in Banbhori village, where approximately 50 rural women participated enthusiastically. This was followed by an awareness session for 40 Anganwadi workers from various blocks of Sangrur district on August 6, 2024. Dr Mandeep Singh, Associate Director (Training) at KVK, welcomed the participants and emphasized the significance of World Breastfeeding Week. He shared insights into KVK’s role in disseminating PAU’s innovative technologies and providing skill development training for rural empowerment.

Dr Vitasta, Assistant Professor (Home Science), discussed the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months and provided nutritional guidelines for pregnant and lactating mothers. A survey was conducted to assess the participants' current knowledge of breastfeeding practices, and common misconceptions were addressed. Dr Vitasta also delivered a radio talk on AIR Patiala, highlighting the importance of breastfeeding for both mother and child. PAU literature on child and maternal nutrition was distributed to ensure access to reliable information.

Simultaneously, KVK Patiala organized activities from August 1 to 6, 2024, targeting rural women and village-level workers such as Anganwadi, Krishi Sakhis, and Aasha workers. The events included focused group discussions, in-service training programs, and mahila goshtis.

Dr Gurupdesh Kaur, Professor cum Incharge at KVK Patiala, raised awareness about developing a healthy breastfeeding relationship and emphasized that mother's milk is a complete diet for infants up to six months. She inspired women to address various health and dietary issues for infants and mothers. Dr Gurupdesh Kaur also delivered a talk on All India Radio, Patiala, stressing the global health recommendation that infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months to achieve optimal growth and development.

Dr Rajni Goel, Professor (FST), encouraged women to maintain a healthy diet, while Dr Rachna Singla, Professor (Horticulture), shared the benefits of tree plantation and introduced the 'Plant 4 Mother' campaign. These events saw the participation of 125 rural women from villages, including Kheri Mania, Allowal, Kalyan, Sakohan, Chathe, and Jhambo in the Patiala district.

Smt. Kiran Prakash Kaur from the Department of Women and Child Development, Patiala, expressed gratitude to the dignitaries and participants. Literature related to breastfeeding and maternal nutrition was distributed to all attendees, ensuring they had access to crucial information for the welfare of their children and families.