Poshan Vatika – Harit se Poshan is a community-based nutrition and health initiative spearheaded by Plan International (India Chapter) and implemented by Elios HealthCare across six underdeveloped districts in Bihar and Jharkhand—Saran, Vaishali, Samastipur, Muzaffarpur, Khunti, and Hazaribag. The project addresses two critical challenges faced by rural women: poor nutritional security and limited awareness about health and sustainable food practices.
The central idea of the project revolves around promoting kitchen gardening as a practical, low-cost, and scalable solution for achieving nutritional self-reliance. Each beneficiary—primarily marginalized women—was supported to establish a kitchen garden near their homes using seasonal seeds and organic methods. The initiative not only improved access to fresh, diverse, and pesticide-free vegetables but also encouraged recycling of household waste through composting.
A total of 5,117 women across 103 villages participated in the baseline survey. Findings revealed that over 50% of families rarely consumed fresh vegetables and fruits, and nearly 12% rated their family’s nutritional status as poor. Furthermore, only 2% were using compost or separating kitchen waste, and 55% lacked access to organic fertilizers. Despite these challenges, 75% of the women were already part of existing community groups (SHGs, Jeevika, etc.), offering a strong platform for collective action and peer learning.
Through regular training sessions, home visits, formation of HARIT groups (community garden collectives), and distribution of nutrient-rich seeds, the project successfully built awareness and skills in nutrition-sensitive agriculture. The intervention also targeted special groups such as pregnant and lactating mothers and adolescent girls, ensuring life-cycle-based nutrition support.
In 2024, the project was recognized in the Indian Journal of Community Health for its innovative approach to improving women’s health and nutritional security, marking it as a replicable model for rural development.
- Community Reach: The project successfully engaged 5,000 marginalized women across 103 villages.
- Nutritional Improvements: Participants reported increased consumption of fresh vegetables and fruits, leading to better health outcomes.
- Empowerment: Women involved in the project gained knowledge and skills in sustainable agriculture, enhancing their decision-making abilities and economic independence.
One notable success story is that of Meena Devi from Khunti district. Before the project, Meena’s family struggled with limited access to nutritious food. Through the Poshan Vatika initiative, she established a kitchen garden, growing a variety of vegetables and fruits. This not only improved her family’s diet but also provided surplus produce, which she sold in the local market, generating additional income. Meena’s story exemplifies the transformative impact of the project on individual lives.
The project’s inclusion in the Indian Journal of Community Health underscores its significance and effectiveness in addressing women’s health and nutritional challenges through community-based approaches.
The success of Poshan Vatika – Harit se Poshan has proven that simple, community-rooted solutions like kitchen gardening can bring about powerful change in improving women’s health, family nutrition, and household resilience. By reaching over 5,000 women across 103 villages in Bihar and Jharkhand, the initiative has laid a strong foundation for addressing malnutrition and food insecurity through awareness, access, and action.
Elios, as the implementing agency, has demonstrated its capability in designing, managing, and executing grassroots health and nutrition programs with precision, cultural sensitivity, and measurable outcomes. Our on-ground presence, ability to mobilize communities, work with frontline health workers, and integrate sustainable practices like composting, organic farming, and behavioural change have been instrumental in the success of this initiative.
Encouraged by its acceptance and recognition—including publication in the Indian Journal of Community Health—we are ready to scale the program to new geographies. Elios HealthCare is actively seeking like-minded partners, CSR donors, foundations, and institutional supporters to join us in expanding this proven model to other districts in Bihar, Jharkhand, and additional states facing similar nutrition and livelihood challenges.
Phase II and III of Poshan Vatika envision deeper engagement with adolescent girls, livelihood linkages for women farmers, integration with school nutrition programs, and a strong focus on climate-resilient agriculture. We invite government departments, development organizations, CSR funders, and philanthropists to support us in this next phase of impact.
Together, we can create thousands of Nutrition Smart Communities across India—empowered, self-sufficient, and thriving.
To partner with us or support the upcoming phases, please write to us at: contactus@elios.in
Let’s grow health and dignity—one kitchen garden at a time.
Note: For a detailed understanding of the project’s impact, you can read the full case study here: Indian Journal of Community Health.