India, Nov. 5 -- A nourishment initiative in the state's tribal belts, the Community Action for Nutrition (CAN), has resulted in a heartening reduction of malnutrition in children. Cases of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) dropped by nearly 52%, while cases of Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM) fell by 38% within just nine months according to findings from CAN.

Helmed by the Maharashtra tribal development department in collaboration with the non-profit SATHI, CAN was implemented between 2018 and 2020 across Gadchiroli, Nandurbar, Nashik, Raigad, Pune, Thane and Palghar. The initiative reached over 21,600 children under six years of age and 3,500 pregnant and lactating women across 420 tribal habitations. More than half the children with SA...