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Annam Food Festival 2008
Date : 27 - 31 December 2008
Venue : Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
‘Annam’ is a people’s initiative launched in India jointly by
Centre for Innovation in Science and Social Action (CISSA),
Navdanya, Delhi and The Environmental Collaborative (TEC). This
movement is an effort to popularize the concept of good food, to
make the people aware of the linkage between good food and local
agro-biodiversity and to fight for food security and food
sovereignty, in a globalised world where corporates are in a
pursuit to monopolize food and agriculture scenarios throughout
the world. Annam National food and Agro-biodiversity Festival,
which included exhibition, seminars, workshops, road shows etc.,
was the first major initiative of Annam towards to to popularize
the concept of good food. The major recommendations of this
event are summarized below.‘Annam’ realized that the major
victims of fast food culture and corporate monopoly of food
sector are the young generation, especially children. Annam
recommends for ban on sale of food and carbonated soft drinks in
academic institutions. School/College authorities and Parent
Teachers Associations should take necessary steps to implement
the ban.
There should be sufficient additions in the curriculum to spread
the message that changes in food and life style the basic
reasons for many of the health problems in young generation.
Awareness programmes should be initiated by the education and
health departments should take initiatives to spread awareness
on the impacts of fast food on health of the children.
The advertisements that spread wrong and spurious messages about
the positive contributions of processed food should be
controlled and banned, if necessary.
Government and non-government organizations should take
initiates to promote traditional food items. There should also
be proper documentation of traditional food items and their
recipes.
The industrial establishments in India should come forward to
establish a chain of restaurants that supply traditional/good
food. Banks and other funding agencies should provide generous
funds for this.
The Research & Development institutions in India should take
initiatives to do research on improving the quality of Indian
food and its processing.
A series of ‘Annam’ clubs may be started throughout India to
spread the message of good food, food security and food
sovereignty, and of corporate control of food and agriculture.
In order to achieve sustainability in vegetable production
terrace farming should be promoted in urban areas. Residential
associations can take a lead in this initiative and the
government should support these activities.
There should be clear policies food grain production and at
least half of the agricultural land should be reserved for rice
cultivation. Necessary modifications in land reforms
legislations should be made to achieve this target.
In order to ensure food security, seed banks should be
established throughout India, especially in villages.
Genetically modified organisms and of genetically modified food
should be totally banned in India.
Agro-biodiversity should be integral part of biodiversity
conservation programmes in the country. Agro-biodiversity rich
areas should be protected as farm reserves and agro heritage
sites.
There need to be an organic farming policy at both central and
state level and organic farming should be promoted extensively.
Subsidies given to monoculture plantations and
pesticides/chemicals in farming should be re-examined and
stopped in a phased manner.
There should be a better awareness to popularize the fact that
organic produce are not simply for export alone, but for
ensuring the health status of the local people.
Agro-biodiversity and good should become special components for
discussion in the activities of eco club/health club/tourism
club/ biodiversity clubs in all the educational institutions,
and special awareness programmes should be planned in this
direction. Agriculture should be an action programme in all
these activities as far as possible.
In order to achieve the above said goals ‘Annam’ would like to
work in join hands with like–minded organizations and
individuals across the country. Together we can work towards a
good food culture. |
