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As part of NNEdPro’s work in India, we have undertaken a series of studies exploring indigenous dietary practices and nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) among tribal communities, including the Baiga and Santal populations.
These communities rely on traditional, agroforestry-based food systems rich in millets, pulses, and foraged foods. These dietary patterns are often sustainable, culturally embedded, and nutritionally valuable.
Using approaches aligned with the Mobile Teaching Kitchen (MTK) initiative, this work combines:
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Dietary assessments
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KAP surveys
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Community engagement activities
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Participatory nutrition education
The aim is to better understand local food systems and identify context-specific nutritional gaps while preserving indigenous knowledge and cultural practices.
Findings demonstrate that traditional dietary patterns can provide sufficient energy and many essential nutrients. However, several micronutrient gaps remain, including:
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Vitamin B12
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Calcium
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Vitamin D
Additional challenges include:
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Seasonal food availability
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Access to diverse foods
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Ongoing dietary transitions
This research highlights both the strengths and vulnerabilities within indigenous food systems.
Education and Behaviour Change Initiatives
Alongside dietary analysis, a suite of community-based nutrition education interventions has been implemented, including:
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Participatory workshops
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Locally tailored recipe books
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Culturally relevant nutrition posters
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Stakeholder and frontline worker engagement
Evidence from these interventions demonstrates meaningful improvements in nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and dietary practices.
Impact in Santal Communities
Workshop-based programmes in Santal communities led to:
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Increased nutrition knowledge scores
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Improved dietary diversity
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Greater consumption of nutrient-rich foods
Workshop-based programmes in Santal communities led to:
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Increased nutrition knowledge scores
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Improved dietary diversity
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Greater consumption of nutrient-rich foods
Work with Frontline Workers in Uttarakhand
Poster-based interventions with frontline workers and stakeholders in Uttarakhand showed:
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Improved nutrition knowledge and attitudes
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Greater awareness of traditional nutrient-dense foods
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Increased community-level promotion of indigenous foods
These findings highlight the value of accessible, culturally sensitive communication tools in supporting nutrition literacy and behaviour change.
A key output of this work is our published research in Nutrients, examining indigenous Santal dietary patterns in relation to sustainable and healthy dietary frameworks.
The study highlights how traditional diets can align with global recommendations, including EAT-Lancet Commission principles, while emphasising the importance of culturally sensitive adaptations.
The findings demonstrate that indigenous food systems can support:
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Nutritional adequacy
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Dietary diversity
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Environmental sustainability
The research also identifies areas where targeted interventions may help improve micronutrient intake.
Collectively, this body of work supports the development of culturally sensitive, community-led interventions that:
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Preserve indigenous food knowledge
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Promote dietary diversity
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Strengthen nutrition literacy
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Improve nutrition security
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Support sustainable food systems
This work demonstrates the importance of integrating local knowledge, cultural context, and community participation into nutrition research and intervention design.
For further information, collaborations, or enquiries related to this work, please contact info@mtki.org