Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) on Nutrition among Rural Farm Women of Chickballapur District of Karnataka, India

The present study was carried out with the objectives to assess Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice (KAP) of rural farm women on nutrition along with personal, socio economic profile. A total of 200 rural farm women from five villages of Shidlaghatta block, Chickballapur district, Karnataka, India were selected purposively for the study as Chikkaballapur district falls in the Eastern dry climatic zone and about 76% of the net sown area is under rainfed condition. Random sampling technique was used for the selection of the respondents. The data on socio-economic status, personnel characteristics and nutritional Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of the subjects were collected through a pre tested questionnaire. Study results reveals that 44.5% of the rural farm women belongs to middle age, 28.0% had high school education followed by 24.0% illiterate. Majority (93.0%) are married, most (63.5%) of them have agriculture as main occupation, More than half (53.0%) belongs to nuclear family, 47.5% have small family, nearly three fourth (69.0%) have 2-4 earners in the family. About 53.5% have marginal land holdings followed by 27.5% small, 65.0% belong to medium family income, 65.5% had medium mass media exposure, and 70.5% had medium level of extension contact. More than one third (34.5 %) of the rural farm women had high knowledge, followed by low (33.5%) and medium (32.0%). Thirty six percent had less favorable attitude towards nutrition, whereas 34.0% had favorable attitude and 30.0% had more favorable attitude. In case of nutrition practice 40.0% had poor practice, 35.5% had fair practice, and 24.5% had good practice. From present study it is concluded that there was more knowledge of rural farm women on nutritional aspects, less favorable attitude and poor practice of nutrition. Hence, intervention strategies like promotion of Nutri-gardens in Schools, Households and the rural Community, promotion of Nutri-sensitive crops or biofortified crops to address the malnutrition, promotion of Nutrition Thali through integrated farming system model, Awareness programmes or modules to educate the farm families for cultivation of nutri crops or bio-fortified crops and their nutritional importance and Nutritional deficiencies and its prevention through ICT, skill trainings for development of value added products or Nutrification of traditional recipes, encourage farm families to develop value added products and establish microenterprises to achieve economic security, convergence with all line departments (Women and Child welfare, Agriculture, Horticulture, Fisheries, livestock departments, health department etc.) for achieving the food, nutrition and health security of rural farm women.