Local food-based supplementary feeding training

Improving caregiver capacity for undernourished children in Enrekang

Abstract

Although local-food-based supplementary feeding is increasingly promoted as a sustainable strategy for addressing childhood undernutrition, evidence on participatory training that simultaneously strengthens caregivers’ knowledge and practical food-preparation skills remains limited. This community service program aimed to improve the knowledge and skills of mothers of undernourished children and community health cadres in preparing and utilizing local-food-based Supplementary Feeding (PMT). The program was conducted in the working area of Buntu Batu Community Health Center, Enrekang Regency, South Sulawesi, involving 35 participants. Activities consisted of nutrition education, interactive discussions, food-preparation demonstrations, and supervised hands-on practice using locally available ingredients. Knowledge was assessed using pre-test and post-test questionnaires, while practical skills were evaluated using observation sheets. The mean knowledge score increased from 56.6 before training to 78.2 after training, representing an increase of 21.6 points. Similarly, the mean practical skill score increased from 58.34 to 84.26, an improvement of 25.92 points. These findings demonstrate substantial descriptive improvements in participants’ capacity to select, prepare, and serve nutritionally appropriate local supplementary foods. Integrating nutrition education with practical training may therefore support community empowerment, household-level utilization of local foods, and sustainable public health interventions for preventing and managing undernutrition among children under five.