Assessment of Media Package for Creating Awareness among Rural Women Regarding Use of Curry Leaf Plant

Abstract

The present study assessed the effectiveness of a media package developed to raise awareness among rural women regarding the use of the curry leaf plant (Murraya koenigii (L.) Spreng.). The study was conducted in 13 selected villages of Ludhiana district, Punjab, in 2024. A purposive sample of 130 rural women, with ten respondents from each village, was selected on the basis of smartphone use and engagement with digital platforms. The media package included a booklet, WhatsApp messages and video clips covering the nutritional value, health benefits and household uses of curry leaves. The package was validated by 30 subject matter specialists before dissemination. Data were collected before exposure and again after at least 25 days using a structured interview schedule. Awareness was measured using a three-point scale, and the data were analysed using percentages, mean scores, mean gain and paired t-tests. Before the intervention, cultivation and use of curry leaf plants were limited among respondents. After exposure to the media package, awareness increased across all dimensions studied. The mean awareness score for health benefits increased from 1.25 to 1.99, while awareness of nutritive value increased from 1.00 to 1.53. Awareness regarding the use of curry leaves in different forms for managing ailments increased from 1.13 to 1.91. The paired t-test values indicated statistically significant improvement at the 1 per cent level. The findings show that the integrated media package effectively improved awareness among rural women regarding the nutritional and medicinal importance of the curry leaf plant.