Socio-economic Evidences of Food Consumption Pattern and Nutritional Status of Rural Households from Rajasthan

An attempt was made in the present study to examine the influence of socio-economic factors on food consumption pattern as well as nutritional status, in order to target groups for prioritizing and focusing efforts for improvement of nutritional status of rural population. Conducted in irrigated and rainfed area of Rajasthan state, the study revealed that the food basket was dominated by cereals with a negligible portion of protein and energy being supplied by food of animal origin. Comparative analysis in irrigated and rainfed areas revealed that consumption of all food-items was estimated higher than RDA except meat, fish and eggs in irrigated area where all fooditems were estimated much lower except cereals in rain-fed area of Rajasthan. The per capita consumption of non-vegetarian food-item in the state was found to be much lower than the RDA as well as all India (NSS 55^th round) for both the irrigated and rain-fed households. The households of irrigated area were having diversified food basket than rain-fed area of state. Diet diversification increased with increase in the monthly per capita expenditure and farm size of rural households. Policies aimed at improving the nutritional status of rural population including intensifying the rural development programmes and promoting agro-based industries to increase purchasing power of rural population. Dairy enterprises need to be promoted on priority in order to diversify food basket and raising nutritional status of rural population, while simultaneously raising income levels.