A seminar was conducted to celebrate World Food Day 2022 at CAbC MSSRF Kalpetta and more than one hundred participants across the district attended the function. The programme was inaugurated by Block Panchayath President Smt. K.B Naseema. “Rural Women play a key role in ensuring food & nutrition security and providing healthcare in the household and we must acknowledge & recognize their efforts in food production system”, said Naseema Teacher, Block Panchayath President, Kalpetta.
“Dietary diversity is the key to address the hidden hunger and traditional varieties should be carefully protected to combat malnutrition”, said Dr. T. Jayakrishnan, Professor & Head, Community Medicine Department, KMCTC, Kozhikode. The whole grain concept of eating the full grain without much processing and polishing provides more health benefits, he added. “Lifestyle diseases are on a rise in the state because of changes in food consumption pattern and exercise habits”, he pointed out while reflecting upon lifestyle diseases and food habits.
“Homogenizing nature is the work of modern man and human has changed the composition and pattern of every living being around him”, said Mr. Joseph John, Scientist MSSRF. Since humans derive 75% of energy from mere 12 plants and 5 animal species, the dependency on diversity is getting reduced and nature is moving for uniformity, he added. Dr. Shakeela, Director, MSSRF CAbC in her welcoming remarks added that on and off farm conservation of traditional varieties is the focus of M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation and participatory conservation measures are being taken up for augmenting conservation efforts.
The programme also felicitated two ancestral farm families in the district- the Paramoola Kurichya Tharavadu and Madamkunnu Paniya hamlet for their efforts in conserving native crop diversity and traditional foods.
