Gashu, Dawd (PhD)Adugnaw, Menber2022-04-072023-11-092022-04-072023-11-092019-06http://10.90.10.223:4000/handle/123456789/31205Undernutrition is a serious problem worldwide due to unbalanced diet or infection . Children during the first two years of li fe are vulnerable to several nutrition related prob lems including micronutrient deficiencies. Due to lim ited education of mother's, poor resource avai labi lity and access to different micronutrient rich food items, ach ieving better nutrition seems to be difficult. Tn resource poor environments, the hab it of low quality monotonous diets leads to low vitamin and mineral intake. Women's education, access to nutrient-rich foods and household food security are the determinants of nutritional status of children. The present study was designed to detennine the micronutrient adequacy of homemade complementary foods in Meket district, North Wallo, Ethiopia. A cross sectional quantitative 24-hour recall was used to assess the micronutrient intake of children (6-23 mol. From two randomly selected kebeles, 78 chi ldren (6 to 23 mol were the subject of the study. Undern utrition was high among the chi ldren. About 45.5% of the chi ldren were stunted. Majority (92.3%) of the children's diet was cereal based and none of the children had animal source foods in the 24 hrs preceding the survey; only eight (8 .97%) children were given cow milk. DietalY diversity was very low; on average, the children consumed 2.52±0.78 food groups and 3.32+ 1.23 food va ri eties. Feeding practices were very poor (initiation of complementary feeding was practiced allO months on 33 (42.3%), at II mo on 35 (44.9%) and at 12 on 10 (12.8%) of chi ldren, frequency of complementary feeding was two - three times in 59.5% children). The nutrient intakes of the children in a group indicated that mean energy intake 199.08± 11 5.9 1, Iron intake (for 9- 11 mo ages) 3.37±2. 13, Zinc intake 1.76±1.45 Calcium intake 19.8±9.28 and Vitamin A intake 30.8±17.3 and Iron intake (for 12-23 mo age) 4.3±2. 12, Zinc intake 1.8±0.8, Calcium intake J5.6±4.83 and Vitamin A 34.4 I± J8.46 were below the WHO recommendations. Lack of mothers awareness on app ropri ate complementary feeding and child caring pract ices, high cost of ASF foods and time constraints of the mother counts poor consumption and limited intake of nutrient. Generally due to low dietary intake, the nutrient intake of the children did not meet the recommended level (346, 5.6 and 3.8 is estimated daily intake ofCa, iron and zinc respectively). Key words:Complementary foods, micro nutrient, mothers 'Fcaregivers ' perspective, in fant feeding practice.enComplementary foodsmicro nutrientThesis