| :: ABOUT ANNAM
Food security is one of the looming threats that mankind faces
in modern era. Many cultures have diversified their foods by
means of farming crops and maintaining agro-biodiversity,
preparation, cooking methods and manufacturing. This also
includes a complex food trade which helps the cultures to
economically survive by-way-of food, not just by consumption.
The food that we eat at present is not the one available in our
surroundings, but highly processed and junk food which are
perceived to have little or no nutritional value, with
ingredients considered unhealthy. All over the world,
communities are awakening to the devastating effects of
corporate-driven foods and farming systems which have turned
agriculture into an extractive industry, and food into a major
health hazard.
There is also a growing realization that biodiversity is the
real capital of food and farming and linked to it is cultural
diversity, the rich and diversified food cultures in the world.
Our global food supply now is gradually becoming centralized and
relies on diminishing variety of crops that again are grown in
huge monoculture making it more vulnerable to pest outbreaks and
diseases. In order to ensure food and nutritional security at
local levels we need to maintain local agro-biodiversity as we
are poorer as the biodiversity of our farms disappears and as
the cultural diversity of our food system disappears. What are
at stake presently are not only the quality of life, but also
the food security and food sovereignty.
“Annam” is a people's initiative launched in India jointly by
Centre for Innovation in Science and Social Action (CISSA) and
Navdanya India to popularize the concept of good food, to make
the people aware of the linkage between good food and local
agro-biodiversity, work towards conservation of local agro-
biodiversity to enrich food diversity, and to fight for food
security and food sovereignty, in a globalised world where
corporates are in a pursuit to monopolize food and agriculture.
ANNAM National Food and Agro-biodiversity Festival is an attempt
to infuse a new food culture that ensures not only supply of
healthy and ethically produced food but also facilitates
conservation of rich biodiversity at grass roots. It aims to
showcase the rich diversity of Indian food, agro-biodiversity,
farming and cooking practices, linkage between food and health
and traditional health care systems and food culture and wisdom
of India. CISSA joined hands with several like-minded government
and non-governmental organizations in organizing this Festival.
The first Annam Festival was held at Thiruvananthapuram during
27-31 December 2008. The second Annam Festival was held at
Kozhikkode, Kerala during 11-15 February 2010. The events
organized in connection with the Festival at Kozhikode included
Exhibition, Cultural meet National Seminar, Debate on
“Biodiversity, Development and Poverty Alleviation”, and
competitions. |
