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A briefing note on

Food in our Lives

Ideas and Initiatives towards an Alternative Food System in yoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyo I. Context “virtually all of the hungry, many of the over-weight, and others of normal Food is a primary requirement of life. For weight are debilitated by a deficiency millennia, systems of food production of essential vitamins and minerals2.” and consumption have defined and Eleven per cent of the shaped human communities and their and 15% of Indians often go to sleep environs in fundamental ways. Entire hungry3. At the same time, 50% of landscapes have been shaped by our the food produced in the world, and patterns of food gathering, production 40% of that produced in India goes to and consumption. It has also influenced waste4. The situation is made worse by the of our planet, pushing the precarious condition of our planet certain species to the brink of extinction, which is already experiencing effects while aggressively promoting certain of , wide-spread loss of others. Beyond this, food has also biodiversity, intensifying water-scarcity, been, and continues to be, a tool for toxicity of environments and large-scale wielding power and control. Our choices dependence on volatile markets. regarding the food we eat and the stages it passes through before reaching our Calls for a fundamental transformation plates do not play out in a vacuum; being in food-systems are intensifying inextricably linked with socio-cultural, globally with demands for a new political, ecological and economic approach that is environmentally more dimensions of society and well-being. sustainable and socially equitable. Even today 70% of all food consumed In a globalised economy, the corporate comes from small-holder farmers takeover of land, seeds and markets is and workers, and ‘more than 80% leading to a homogenization of diverse of smallholders operate in local and food systems, ecological devastation domestic food markets, with a majority and perpetuation of social injustice trading through informal means5’. The at many levels. The global corporate main thrust of such calls is on food food system has failed to provide safe sovereignty, the right of peoples to and nourishing food to the human healthy and culturally appropriate population despite having an enormous negative impact on our environment. It is a system riddled with inequalities. On 2. See: G. Gardner and B. Halweil, 2000, the one hand we have people suffering ‘Overfed and Underfed- The global epidemic of malnutrition’, Worldwatch from under-nutrition and hunger, but paper 150. on the other there are intensifying 3. As per the FAO 2015 report on world issues related to ‘over-nutrition’ and hunger. diet-related diseases1, even while, 4. As per the 2013 report on global food waste by the Institution of Mechanical Researchers. 1. There are incidences where both over- nutrition and under-nutrition occur in 5. See: Nyeleni newsletter, number 27, the same individual. September 2016.

2 yoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyo food produced through ecologically socially just livelihoods centered sound and sustainable methods. Food around food production, processing, sovereignty also includes the right of distribution and consumption, people to define their own food and with knowledge and cultural 6 agricultural systems . Connected to pluralisms upheld. these developments is also the concept of agroecology, gaining favor globally with UN endorsements7. Although III. About the Note defined variously as a means, a social This briefing note seeks to lay out movement, a discipline of study, or the Indian context of initiatives and a vision in itself, all definitions of challenges towards achieving this agroecology imply using ecological vision. For its elaboration, the note uses principles for agricultural practices. a food systems framework, where the Considered as a participatory food scenario is explored through its knowledge-dialogue between politico-economic, ecological, cultural indigenous practices and contemporary and sociological connections. , it is being advocated as a socially-activating means of revitalizing There are a number of other possible family-farming and local markets8. methods which could have been used for classification. For instance rather than II. The Vision for an Alternative just four divisions it could be broken up further in the context of its linkages Food System with health, art, literature, lifestyle, well- With principles of agroecology and being, economics, , food sovereignty in mind, the vision etc. Alternatively, the division could be for an alternative food system for a bio-geographical, connecting the food sustainable and well-nourished future situation with the geographical features can be described as: of different landscapes of India. Each of these approaches would have their own Localized, adequate, nutritious, merits. diverse, affordable food accessible to all The classification we have used is based on the alternatives framework being through protection and promotion discussed as a part of the Vikalp Sangam of ecologically sustainable and or Alternatives Confluence process in India9. According to this framework, 6. As per the declaration of the forum for alternatives tending towards equity, food sovereignty in Mali in February, justice and should be 2007. 7. See: UN report of 2011 on ‘Agroecology 9. See: ‘The Search for Alternatives: Key and the Right to Food’. aspects and Principles’- http://www. 8. See: Wani M. 2014, ‘Sowing Revolution’, vikalpsangam.org/about/the-search-for- Himal, 2nd June. alternatives-key-aspects-and-principles/

3 yoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyo built upon a foundation built upon the that many issues and initiatives may integration of following five mutually not neatly fall within any one of reinforcing dimensions: the above category, spanning over multiple (sometimes all) categories 1. Ecological wisdom, integrity instead. Hence this note should be and resilience; considered as a mere starting point of a 2. Social well-being and justice; conversation, to be built upon through further discussion and practices. Space 3. Direct and delegated for further elaboration can probably democracy; be found at the intersections and 4. Economic democracy and cross-linkages between the cultural, 5. Cultural diversity and political, economic, environmental knowledge democracy. and social aspects of food production and consumption. The initiatives To situate the various initiatives towards described in the note are indicative an alternative food system, the four rather than exhaustive. Being based dimensions considered within this on limited available information, it is note complement the five overlapping very likely that the note misses out on spheres of the alternatives framework some important and relevant examples note (with the political and economic because of lack of knowledge about realms being merged as a single those. It is hoped that with time this dimension). note can be built upon with additional layers of approaches and illustrations. It is important to acknowledge here The following diagram, though not

4 yoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyo comprehensive, tries to represent Forest foods, pastoralism and small- pictorially the approaches being taken scale artisanal fisheries have also by different initiatives in India that been significant age-old food systems contribute towards achieving the vision connected with a way of life. These for an alternative food system. systems are threatened today by an insecurity of access to their customary forests, grazing lands and fishing IV. The Various Dimensions of a grounds. These are also affected by Food System the shift towards a largely cash-based 1. The political economy of food economy and volatile markets. While there are many campaigns for rights Food politics refer to political aspects of such communities, the relevance of of how food production, distribution conservation of their food-systems gets and access are controlled. Some of the little attention at the national level. The questions it tries to address are: Why negative ecological and equity-related do 3 MNCs have control over 90 % of impacts of large-scale fisheries due to global food trade? Why is 60% of global their industrialized and export-based food trade between EU/USA and the rest nature also need to be tackled. of the world? Which nations benefit by unequal tariff systems? For at least the last four decades, food sovereignty movements have Corporate takeover of food production been demanding short value-chains, and distribution can change self- democratic control over access to food, sufficient producers of food into minimizing of nutritional inequalities10 deprived consumers who struggle and support for geographically-relevant to buy food or materials for food agri-food systems. Intervention in food production. The diversity and access to politics involves campaigning for better uncultivated foods, which have been laws and policies, as well as developing an important source of nourishment networks for producers, consumers for a large part of the society, are also and distributers that are rooted in an affected by this politics of control. An economic democracy. important aspect of food politics is to work towards protecting the right of 1.1 Campaigns and declarations on food small food producers to continue their means of livelihoods with dignity. In sovereignty the context of liberalization of food Some examples of campaigns to protect marketing and increasing Foreign Direct the livelihoods and dignity of small Investment (FDI) in the sector, it is also scale producers and distributors of food very important to protect our informal are: small-scale retail sector (like street- vendors), that provides subsistence 10. Instead of target-oriented approach for livelihoods to the distributer and e.g. setting targets for producing 260 affordable food to the consumers. million tons of food grains.

5 yoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyo ♦ In 2010, more than 400 farmers, agribusiness corporations and their activists and artists came together products to the detriment of food with the message of ‘food, farmers, sovereignty and security. freedom’ for a 71-day long walk called Kisan Swaraj Yatra across ♦ The Right to Food Campaign has 21 states. This walk led to the been active in advocacy since formation of the Alliance for 2001 towards realization of every Sustainable and Holistic Agriculture citizen’s right to freedom from or ASHA, which has since then hunger and malnutrition, with emerged as a strong platform for the principle that the primary drawing the nation’s attention responsibility of guaranteeing this towards the challenges currently right lies with the state. being faced in agriculture. ♦ In March 2016 in Andhra Pradesh, ♦ In Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, Mahila Kisan Adhikaar Manch the adivasi, dalit, pastoralist, (MAKAAM) or Forum for Women Fisherfolk and peasant social Farmers’ Rights ratified the Bapatla movements along with co- Declaration where women farmers producers have come together to resolved to collectively prioritize form the Food Sovereignty Alliance. sufficient food production for Their Matthadiguda declaration self-consumption, to create and (February 2015), asserted their secure sustainable livelihoods, collective rights to land, forests, and to resist development based water, air, indigenous seeds on resource exploitation and to and animals, their diverse food reaffirm their right to the use of 11 cultures, knowledge systems and commons . local markets, with a pledge to safeguard their sacred relationship 1.2 Global and National Policy with Mother Earth and protect Watchdogs this abundance of life for future Global and national laws and policies generations. have significant implications for ♦ The India FDI Watch Campaign food production, distribution and mobilizes street vendors and small consumption. Some of the national farmer groups to prevent the take- laws connected (directly and indirectly) over of India’s retail sector by to food production, distribution and corporations. consumption are given in the table below: ♦ The Forum Against Free Trade Agreements or FTAs fights 11. Pasted from

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Protection of Plant Varieties Provides processes for registration for property and Farmer Rights Act 2001 rights on crop varieties, including farmer varieties.

Biological Diversity Act 2002 Regulates access and benefit sharing mechanisms related to traditional biological resources and knowledge. The Seeds Act 1966, The Regulates which seeds get to the market. Seed (Amendment) Bill 2004 The Scheduled Tribes and Provides a process for recognizing individual and Other Traditional Forest community forest rights for traditional forest Dwellers (Recognition of dwelling communities. Rights) Act 2006 Pesticides management Bill Affects food safety issues. Pending in the 2008 parliament.

The Traditional Coastal Similar to Forest Rights Act, for protecting rights of and Marine Fisherfolk fisherfolk. (Recognition of Rights) Act 2009 Biotechnology Regulatory For controlling application of biotechnology Authority of India Bill (2011) products including Genetically Modified organisms.

Land Acquisition and Lays down the process for land acquisition and Rehabilitation Act 2013 compensation and rehabilitation for affected persons. National Act Has provisions for subsidized food grains, also 2013 called Right to Food Act.

At the global level, a number of Free BIPA with India which are yet to be Trade Agreements (FTAs) and bilateral enforced. These BIPAs imply that these trade and investment agreements (BITS) foreign investors enter the country they that have been made or are under must be treated just like the domestic discussion undermine seed sovereignty investor unless specified explicitly in of small farmers12. India has bilateral the pre-establishment stage. Besides investment promotion and protection this, in July 2017 in Hyderabad, a round agreement (BIPA) with 72 countries. In of negotiations under the Regional addition, 11 more countries have signed Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) treaty were held, considering 12. See: Bhutani, S 2013, Re-Searching removing import duties on 92 per cent Agriculture in South-Asia, ADARSA.

7 yoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyo of the traded commodities13. Such ♦ The leasing of land for group agreements and various other decisions farming of food crops15 by taken during international negotiations members of the women-based like the United Nations Conference on Community Development Society of Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the Kudumbashree, Kerala; Convention on Biological Diversity- Conference of Parties (CBD COP), and ♦ The support for organic, small-scale, Global Conference on Agricultural Rainfed agriculture, by the Society Research for Development (GCARD) for Elimination of Rural Poverty have implications for Indian farmers and (SERP) which is sponsored by domestic markets. Andhra Pradesh government;

Many campaigns, networks, researchers ♦ The attempt at supporting single- and policy-analysts keep a sharp eye window village-level purchase on such laws and policies. They try to and supply of food grains through raise concerns about regressive policies, the idea of Food Security credit and advocate for building in features of line some years ago in undivided 16 social and environmental justice into Andhra Pradesh ; these policies. ♦ Attempts by various states to make the Public Distribution System 1.3 Advocacy for better state-level (PDS), midday meal programme, policies etc. more nutritious and its Many state level programmes and implementation more transparent policies also have an influence on the and democratic; food choices of our society. Examples ♦ State support for conversion of of some progressive state level policies agriculture to organic, as in the supporting such choices and paving the case of Sikkim, Andhra Pradesh and way for others to emulate: Kerala17. ♦ The decentralization of procurement of food items (except 15. See: http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/ rice) for schools in Odisha since lead/from-food-security-to-food- justice/article2848305.ece. January 201114; 16. See: http://223.30.251.85:8090/ documents/11369/37104/ 13. See: Sharma, D 2017, ‘RCEP will undo Food+security+guidlines.pdf/3111fa3f- the gains of food self-sufficiency built b3cf-49c5-88fe-c616fb1d72a7;jsession so assiduously over the decades’, http:// id=1DB60EF5086F17D5313E109D1828 devinder-sharma.blogspot.in/2017/08/ 9B2D rcep-will-undo-gains-of-food-self.html 17. It is important however to go beyond 14. See: http://vikalpsangam.org/ the rhetoric of ‘organic’ and also make static/media/uploads/Stories_ it ecologically conscious in a holistic PDFs/localgrainprocurement_ manner including crop choice, scale of thehindu05-04-2013.pdf production and markets.

8 yoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyo State-level policies can also contribute ♦ With the objective of providing safe at times to the detriment of socio- and nourishing food to the urban ecological dimensions. For instance, the slum-dwellers of Mumbai, four nutritional insecurity for some caused organizations, viz. Anthra, Award, by the beef ban in Maharashtra, or the Swayam Shikshan Prayog and Yuva risk of contamination of local varieties (Youth for Unity and Voluntary because of state-level approval of field Action) are working towards a trials for GM food crops. viable rural-urban exchange of food and associated knowledge with the 1.4 Platforms for new producer- districts of Ratnagiri, Raigad, Latur distributer-consumer relationships and Osmanabad in Maharashtra. The alternatives framework note18 of ♦ The women farmers of the the Vikalp Sangam process describes Deccan Development Society economic democracy as a situation in Zaheerabad, Telangana run a ‘in which local communities and sorghum-based alternative PDS. individuals(including producers and consumers, wherever possible ♦ Direct interactions between organic combined into one as ‘prosumers’) have farmers and buyers are being control over the means of production, encouraged through platforms distribution, exchange, markets; where like the Organic Farmers Market, localization is a key principle, and Chennai and Kudrati Kisan Haat in larger trade and exchange is built on Punjab. it on the principle of equal exchange; Blurring the urban-rural divide where where private property gives way to urban areas are viewed as concrete the commons, removing the distinction jungles dependent upon rural areas for between owner and worker’. all food-production, there has been a In India, a number of attempts can be rising interest in towns and cities in also seen to be focused on building such connecting to food production through newer forms of relationships, or re- kitchen gardens, rooftop gardens kindling old ones based on trust. Some and collective gardening initiatives. examples are given below: Booklets as well as local events on urban gardening help promote the ♦ In Delhi, Janpahal and the Hawkers practice. An example is ‘Oota from your Federation are trying to connect the Thota’ (Food from your garden) events urban poor with street vendors and in Bangalore. At places, these may also small farmers to initiate dialogue be getting local government support. on food safety. For instance, people of Vengeri (in Ward 7 of the Kozhikode City Corporation) 18. See: http://vikalpsangam.org/about/ practice organic farming on private and the-search-for-alternatives-key-aspects- public land, with the support of the and-principles/ corporation councilor.

9 yoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyo 2. Food, energy and Environment intensive, industrial agriculture dependent on chemical inputs, hybrid Food systems, seeds, mechanization and changed whether based cropping patterns. The environmental on agriculture, degradation and associated loss of livestock herding, biodiversity is self-evident and now fisheries or hunting- formally acknowledged19. At the same gathering draw time, two-thirds of India’s agriculture is resources and rain-fed (i.e. dependent solely upon rain energy from the for irrigation) on small parcels of land. environment. They Under such conditions synthetic inputs have impacts on, (particularly pesticides and herbicides) and are impacted by are often unaffordable because of which their surrounding a shift to chemical-intensive agriculture biodiversity, land, has not yet taken place. water, air and climate. In this context, there is mounting support for methods and concepts like Supporting resilient food production organic farming, , natural systems becomes particularly important farming, agro-ecology, regenerative in the face of climate change and the agriculture, and low-external-input global environmental and agrarian agriculture through farmer collectives crises. Attempts are being made to build for production and marketing, and even environmental sustainability into food through tireless work of many individual production, processing, marketing and organic farmers. At the national level, consumption. Resisting and challenging there are networks like Organic Farming ecologically destructive activities Association of India and the Alliance and policies through movements and for Sustainable and Holistic Agriculture campaigns also forms an important to help organic farmers and also lobby component of this support. with governments for addressing their Some ways in which people are trying issues and concerns. While innovations to minimize negative environmental and new techniques are also considered, impacts of our food systems are listed a large part of these initiatives is about below: reviving or strengthening indigenous

2.1 Supporting and promoting 19. See: Documents by International Food ecological agriculture Policy Research Institute and Pesticides Action Network Asia and Pacific that The ushering in of the Green Revolution support this statement www.panap. in the 1960s-70s in India and a net/sites/default/files/eyeonirri_ strong policy push for this paradigm irrisnotsogreenrevolution.pdf and http://www.ifpri.org/publication/green- has seen a large spread of chemical- revolution

10 yoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyo methods of agriculture by making water-conscious. Intensive irrigation them economically viable. At the core using ground water (rather than rain of all these concepts and models, water) has also been linked with is the acknowledged significance salinization of soils. Water wisdom of replacement of fossil-fuel based, lies in paying due attention to soil energy-intensive and extractive systems moisture, soil health, crop choices, with synergized low-impact interactions crop-water budgets, and System of Rice of humans with their environment Intensification20 (SRI ) methodologies. through systems. Rejuvenation of dying water-bodies like ponds, canals, wells, lakes and However, the proportion of the farming tanks, and conservation of the existing community that is consciously shifting ones is also a pertinent step in that to or sticking to ecological agriculture direction. is still very small. The predominant narrative of the agricultural department Some examples of supporting water- offices and Krishi Vigyan Kendras wise agriculture: continues to be in support of chemical · Farmer collectives and initiatives fertilizers, pesticides and hybrid seeds. supporting dry land ecological also The offices may, sometimes, have farming are crucial contributors. an organic wing, but the hub of activity Two such examples are Timbaktu and funds usually lies on the side of the Collective in Andhra Pradesh and synthetic inputs. It must also be kept Sanghams of Deccan Development in mind that all organic agriculture is Society in Telangana. not necessarily ecologically conscious, since questions regarding the kind of · An effort to network at a larger irrigation it uses (is it electricity-based, level for learning and advocacy on or water-intensive?), the source of rainfed agriculture is recently being the seed (is it GM?), the choice of crop made through Revitalizing Rainfed (is it locally suited?), the market for Agriculture Network. the produce (is it destined for distant · At village level, there have been markets?), and so on can also have many community-led initiatives considerable impacts on the ecosystem. around -proofing and collective water management. 2.2 ‘Water-wise’ agriculture Ralegan Siddhi and Hivre Bazar It is time that ministries and in Maharashtra are two famous agricultural science departments examples. stop considering the continued · In Mahbubnagar (and subsequently practices of rain-fed agriculture in some other areas of Andhra India as a ‘problem’ to be solved by irrigation. Instead there is a need to 20. SRI is a labor-intensive method of support this system which is often growing rice with minimum water and a much more ecologically friendly and focus on root-growth.

11 yoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyo Pradesh), there has been an and networks working through initiative for collectivization of local communities to protect these groundwater. With the support ecosystems at local, regional, national of Watershed Support Services and global levels thus significantly and Activity Network (WASSAN), a contribute to preserving the ecological Hyderabad-based NGO, they have integrity of food systems. laid a pipeline grid with a range of 50-100 acres and set up institutions 3. Food and Cultural Diversity for community-based groundwater What we eat and the way we eat it is regulation. intricately linked with our culture. But · In Kachchh, Arid Communities and at the present intersection of custom Technologies (ACT), a Bhuj-based and modernity, there is a real danger NGO, has trained some local village of falling into a homogenized, micro- youth as para-geo-hydrologists nutrient-poor, globalised diet, and in to understand the science of the process losing many local varieties, groundwater management and to recipes and associated knowledge- develop strategies for conserving systems capable of leading populations and utilizing the same. along the natural path to affordable health assurance. 2.3 Maintaining ecological integrity of India has an astounding diversity in landscapes terms of crop and livestock species Ecological considerations require and wild foods but at present this not going for ‘one-size-fits-all’ diversity is threatened and is fast solutions and instead respecting the eroding. Causes include processes ecological integrity of systems and of modernization, top-down policies landscapes. Desert lands or grasslands negligent of customary practices, are therefore not to be seen as migration, urbanization, pressures of unproductive wastelands Waiting for the market economy, changes in land- factories/ solar farms to be put up, . use, promotion of modern high-input, Rivers are not just potential sources high-yielding varieties in agricultural of hydroelectric energy that must be research, media influence on food captured. Coastal areas are not just culture, farmers abandoning their potential ports for shipping and trade. fields due to severe agrarian crisis, and Forests are not just a mine of natural changes in cultural and ethical values. ‘resources’. These ecosystems perform vital functions as not just repositories If we consider diversity as the essence of food and our connections to of resilience, alternatives need to build socio-cultural, spiritual and physical on supporting the survival of a cultural well-being but also regulators of the diversity of food types and cuisines, and overall ecological health of our planet. strengthening associated knowledge. The individuals, groups, movements

12 yoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyo 3.1 Celebrating diversity of seed and varieties especially the Banni Buffalo livestock varieties breed. Other important groups that organize such melas include: Sahaja Fairs and festivals Samruda, Bharath Beej Swaraj Manch, celebrating local Vaagdhara, Chethana, Sahaja Seeds, varieties provide Living Farms, Basudha, Millet Network of channels for the India, Paschim Sridhrakathi Janakalyan continuous flow, Sanghya, Beej Bachao Andolan, Thanal/ exchange and Save Our Rice Campaign, and Salim Ali revitalization of such Foundation. There are also exceptional heritage. These also seed conservationists like Debal Deb, bring people’s issues Natwar Sarangi and Babulal Dahiya who, to the forefront by despite different methodologies, focus mobilizing people on their efforts on saving and propagating common concerns. traditional seed varieties22.

Many such festivals21 3.2 Recognizing the role of uncultivated are celebrated foods in diet and nutrition: throughout the country. Vanastree, a More than 3900 wild plant species are women’s collective used as subsidiary food by various tribal in the Malnad and other forest and ecosystem based region of Karnataka communities in India23, becoming an celebrates Malnad important component of nourishment Mela, an annual and culture. festival displaying the numerous local traditional seed A study taken up by Living Farms on varieties they save and grow. The ‘forests as food producing habitats’ Deccan Development Society has explores the dependence of adivasi been supporting an annual Mobile communities in Odisha on forest Biodiversity Festival for the past 17 years where decorated bullock carts 22. For examples see: http://www. with seed diversity displays tour vikalpsangam.org/article/debal-deb- numerous villages across the district. In the-barefoot-conservator/, http:// the Banni grassland of Kachchh, every www.vikalpsangam.org/article/ year there is Banni Pashu Mela, an natwar-sarangi-of-odisha-the- individual-revolutionary/ and http:// annual fair celebrating local livestock www.vikalpsangam.org/article/a- farmer-saving-our-heritage-of-seeds/#. 21. For instance see: http://vikalpsangam. WctUxGWO50s org/article/indigenous-seed-food-and- biodiversity-fair-2017/#.Wa_AY7IjHIV 23. The study was supported by DISHA, and also see: http://vikalpsangam.org/ SHAKTI and ASHA. http://www. static/media/uploads/Perspectives/ earthisland.org/journal/index.php/eij/ kavyawhatisprivatewhatiscommon.pdf article/seed_savior/)

13 yoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyo foods (both plants and meat) for food 3.3 Celebrating knowledge associated security24. The study found that in less with food systems than half a year, 121 different kinds Methods of preserving foods of forest foods are harvested by the (fermenting, drying, coating, etc.), surveyed households in Rayagada and cooking, dietary combinations, use of Sundergadh districts of Odisha. spices, warm and cold foods, slow or fast Festivals and workshops centered food systems, pre- and post-natal care on the value of uncultivated foods foods, weaning foods, food as medicine, help in conservation of this important etc. are part of several Indian languages, resource. In a three-days-long forest poems and local art forms. Beyond this, food festival in December 2014, 1200 there is a wealth of local ecological varieties of uncultivated forest foods knowledge amongst traditional farming from 13 states were displayed in New communities, fisherfolk and pastoralists Delhi25. It also became a space for about methods and activities relevant putting together a Forest Foods and for interacting with our ecosystem Ecology declaration - an appeal for in a more harmonious manner. These empathy and wise governance - to lessons can seldom be found in a protect our natural heritage, culture, and textbook and are already slowly being collective future. lost with loss of knowledge and lack of interest of the younger generations Apart from direct celebrations of in continuing with these activities. In a food diversity, attempts at forest very utilitarian sense, will these lessons conservation, particularly through a not be needed to survive in a climate community-based decentralized form of change scenario26? From a universal governance, as envisioned by the Forest evolutionary angle, what will a future Rights Act of 2006, also contribute without these foods, languages and towards protecting the cultural diversity cultures be like? of forest foods. A contest held by the Marathi Vidnyan Parishad, Pune for recipes using vegetables that people do not get to buy in the markets revealed that even within an urban place like Pune, no less than 150 such vegetables were being 24. See: http://agrobiodiversityplatform. 27 org/files/2014/10/Forests-as-Food- used . producing-habitats.pdf-28th-September. pdf 25. This was organized by Living Farms, Kalpavriksh, SADED, Vividhara, Gandhi 26. See: ensia.com/articles/can-grains-of- Peace Foundation and others, See the-past-help-us-weather-storms-of- report: http://www.slideshare.net/ the-future/ forestfoods/forest-food-and-ecology- 27. S. Kolhekar, 2015, personal festival-december-2014 communication, 24 July.

14 yoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyo Workshops, participatory rural women in societies. While in some cases appraisals (PRAs), festivals, local they have been disempowered in their competitions, networks, collectives or role in food production and provision in some cases, cell phone messaging through the market orientation towards groups and email list-serves have cash-crops, in other cases their farming come out as spaces for sharing tidbits burden has intensified with male- of knowledge about food-procuring, migration to urban areas. There are recipes and health drawing from issues of gender bias, and cultural and traditional and local understandings. social dynamics at play here. In addition, an inspection of both the rich diversity of local foods, as well as Packaged and processed food, mostly the problems associated with junk food, controlled by large foreign companies, as being done by groups such as Centre is more readily available in the rural for Science and Environment, is also and urban markets all over India. Food relevant. All of this helps in a collective options in restaurants generally neglect enrichment of knowledge, and also a the local cuisine, focusing instead on re-visiting of our own old memories of a few stereotypical options. At the food practices which may otherwise be same time, there are great disparities slowly forgotten. within a city or a village in terms of access to nutritious food. Biases based Associated with all of this is also the on socio-cultural dynamics and power significance of being alert to threats politics start at the level of family and posed to common knowledge by the are etched in gender (where the women politics of a knowledge economy where members may have poor access to culture is being commodified and good food), class, caste, community or Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) and space, and persist right up to regional patents are being used for privatizing and global levels. Alienation of land knowledge that was customarily held and insecure tenurial access to forests, as commons. An example is the patent farms, pastures and fisheries has led to for pesticidal use of Neem by a US- conversion of self-sufficient producers based multinational company which to deprived consumers. Income-poor was challenged on the grounds of it rural and urban people are increasingly being a common knowledge in India for depending upon junk food or the PDS, thousands of years. both of which often do not guarantee safe and nutritious food. 4. Food and Society Because of specialization, globalization With the advent of the Green and creation of urban settlements away Revolution, industrialization and from farms and fields, many of us seem urbanization, our food production to have lost our food connections. For and access have undergone a massive people with sufficient money, food transition in the past half century. There has become an easily and cheaply is also the matter of the changing role of available ‘commodity’, rather than a

15 yoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyo treasured part of life. We do not feel social justice in food, personally vulnerable or worried about it also distances us from rains and affecting a crop, actual food production. the chemicals used, the resources To build resilience to consumed, or the waste that may be face what awaits generated. But that does not mean humanity, there is that the connections between food no better opportunity producers and consumers, between our than to begin at a young dinner plate, the environment and our age; else it will remain only society, have ceased to exist. And every as fringe efforts. Our young day, these connections are influenced are our hope and the focus by local decisions as well as global should be on their policies, including the corporate take- nurturing and welfare at over of food production and distribution all times, especially so in these troubled channels. times. Connection of education with food at both conceptual and experiential All of us - even the producers - are levels is important as what we learn consumers. Consumer choices have a at a young age has a profound impact great role to play in shaping the food on shaping our beliefs and approaches production scenario to make it socially towards environment and society. and ecologically more conscious. For this purpose, groups, organizations and Some examples where this connection individuals raising awareness about the of learning and food is being social and ecological impacts related to acknowledged are given below: processed food, packaging, food grown · The Adharshila Learning Centre within industrial farming monocultures in Sakad village, Madhya Pradesh, and food traveling over long distances has 6.5 acres of farmland where have an important role to play. teachers and children together grow In the midst of this, movements call cereals, pulses and vegetables. for societal transformations through · The Ragi Project launched by re-designing our formal methods an alternate school, Poorna, in of education, demanding state Bangalore, aims to teach students accountability for food security, and how to grow their food, integrating strengthening trust-based old and new health, ecological, economical, and community networks. social concerns; and encourages them to critically examine the 4.1 Connecting learning systems with connections between people, food, food and their environment. Even as the present formalized · In around 150 schools of Medak, education system stands disconnected Telangana, students have been from matters of environmental and growing vegetables for their midday

16 yoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyo meals as a part of a collaborative 4.2 State accountability for food security project between CEE, UNICEF and The state must be held responsible for Department of Education, Medak. protecting the right of all citizens to · Ten tribal residential schools in freedom from hunger and malnutrition. Antagarh, Bastar have developed In the words of Right to Food Campaign, fruit and vegetable organic kitchen that involves, ‘not only equitable and gardens with the support of the sustainable food systems but also district administration. entitlements relating to livelihood · Even the Central Board for security such as right to work, land Secondary Education (CBSE) is reform and social security.’ In a asking schools to form canteen progressive move towards this, triggered management committees. These by persistent popular campaigns, the are supposed to make sure that National Food Security Act (NFSA) was canteens serve healthy food rather passed in 2013. The Act converts the than ‘junk’ food like soft-drinks, existing food security programs (PDS, burgers and chips. midday meal and Integrated Child Development Services scheme) into Making significant changes in the · legal entitlements and aims to provide education curriculum to reflect this subsidized grains to approximately orientation is another approach. two thirds of India’s population. It For instance, the environmental cannot be seen as a panacea for all the science book series ‘Our Land our prevailing problems plaguing our food life’ of Uttarakhand are based on a systems. Its effective implementation practical curriculum developed by and prevention from dilution can Uttarakhand Seva Nidhi. A national mean significant contribution towards framework with the same title as removing hunger through a well- well as a subsequent practice guide functioning PDS system, strengthened ‘Tending a schoolyard garden’28 has child nutrition services and maternity been prepared, connecting food and benefits for women. In the present education. political atmosphere29, this requires persisting with strong popular campaigns and using democratic means for demanding state accountability for food security. 28. Tending a Schoolyard Garden is an introductory handbook (based on best practices from field tests for the implementability of skill-based 29. This refers to the recommendations of education as outlined in the book Our HLC report on Food Corporation of India Land Our Life of curricular ideas of in August 2014 for curtailing NFSA, and organic farmers) by Nyla Coelho, to repeated discussions on replacing published by NEG-FIRE (http: //www. PDS with cash-transfer, both of which negfire.org/). threaten food security.

17 yoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyo 4.3 Community networks based on trust (PGS). PGS presents an approach towards assuring food quality While on the one hand, the struggle of through a peer-review process farmers, pastoralists, fisher-folk and based on trust and collective forest dwellers for protecting common responsibility. It is being practiced ecological resources and knowledge by a number of initiatives for practices from state or private takeover assuring organic produce30. persists through campaigns and advocacy, there is a parallel rebuilding Concluding remarks of networks for sustainable livelihoods This has been an attempt to piece and fostering new types of urban-rural, together a picture of a food system producer-consumer, relationships based that is not wholly articulated, or even on community trust and sharing. structurally visible; a system that is For example: constantly being molded and jostled through an inter-play of a diverse set · Community seed banks make of actors, sometimes conflicting and available seeds of traditional sometimes complementing each other. crop varieties to farmers free of cost, with the common practice By no stretch of imagination is this of farmers paying back twice the note an exhaustive laying out of all quantity of seeds borrowed. the present complex elements of the food system and their overlaps. And as Farmers’ collectives and · individual and collective ideals evolve, cooperatives like the Timbaktu it is possible that many of the ideas Collective, or Sanghams of Deccan and initiatives mentioned in the note Development Society make it would become irrelevant, obsolete economically more viable for small and inappropriate. This note must only organic farmers to come together to produce food crops which are then be considered as a humble attempt processed, packaged and sold to the by the author, with the generous help market. of various commentators, to view the limited available information on food- The model of community supported · systems with the lens of the alternatives agriculture, as in the case of Gorus framework emerging from the Vikalp Organic Farming Association in Sangam process. The idea behind Vikalp Pune district, depends upon an Sangams or Alternatives Confluences is assurance from consumers that they would buy what the farmers produce. 30. Some examples of such initiatives are Dharani (Andhra Pradesh), Sangham · There are also other systems based Organics (Telangana), Chetna Vikas on mutual trust for the production Swarajya Trust (Uttar Pradesh), Muskaan Jaivik Kheti Self Help Group (Himachal and marketing side, such as the Pradesh) and Gorus Organic Farming Participatory Guarantee System Association (Maharashtra).

18 yoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyoyo to provide a platform to constructively on diverse aspects of food can come challenge and learn from each other, together for a collective process of build alliances, and collectively evolve cross-fertilization of ideas, sharing of alternative futures. The motivation for experiences, enunciating of linkages this note, in fact, comes from the idea between different aspects and hopefully of organising food-thematic Vikalp better envision of our food futures. Sangams31 where people working

31. At the time of publishing this note, one such food sangam had already been organized in Muniguda, Odisha in September 2016, and another such sangam in Bajju, Rajasthan was planned for October 2017.

19 Briefing Note September 2017

Food in our Lives : Ideas and Initiatives towards an Alternative Food System in India

Authors: Shiba Desor

Illustrations: Madhuvanti Ananthrajan

With inputs from: Milind Wani and Anuradha Arjunwadkar of Kalpavriksh, Rajeswari Raina of National Institute of Science, Technology and Development Studies (NISTADS) , Alex Jensen of Local Futures, Nitya Ghotge of Anthra, Anja Mertinet of Misereor, Dharmendra Kumar of Janpahal, Kavitha Kuruganti of Alliance for Sustainable and Holistic Agriculture (ASHA) and Nyla Coelho.

Published by: Kalpavriksh, Apt. 5, Shree Dutta Krupa, Deccan Gymkhana, Pune 411004 Maharashtra, India. Tel: +91-20-25675450 Fax: +91-20-25654239 Email: [email protected] Website: www.kalpavriksh.org

Edited by : Milind Wani, Anuradha Arjunwadkar

Funded by : MISEREOR, Aachen, Germany.

For Private Circulation

Printed Matter

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