The importance of Local Food Security in Time of Pandemic

1. The importance of Local Food Security
in Time of Pandemic
NECU Leadership Training
Module IV
COVID 19 : Economic & Climate Justice

2. • Biodiversity Hotspot
• Ethnic & cultural diversity ( 200 + ethic
Groups)
• Strategic location (International border
with China, Bhutan, Myanmar, Bangladesh)
• Conflict ridden
• Displacement (Development, Climate,
Conflict induced)
Overview of NE Region India

3. • Changing development paradigm – cash economy over-
riding food and solidarity economy
• Shrinking commons – Forests, land, seeds, water sources,
declining biodiversity
• Climate change
• Feminisation of agriculture
• Food, nutritional and health insecurity
Context

4. • India is the largest
producer (25% of global
production)
• 2019-20 crop year, the
country's food grain
output(comprising
wheat, rice, pulses and
coarse cereals) stood at
a record 297.5 million
tons (MT).
• Global Hunger Index
2020 – ranked at 94th
out of 117 countries
• 14% undernourished
• 37.4 Stunting rate
• 17.3% Wasting rate
• 3.7% mortality rate
India - Food crisis???

5. Health crisis
Food crisis
Livelihood Crisis
COVID 19 Pandemic & Impact

6. Why it is important to secure our local food systems?

7. Food = Spiritual, cultural, social, political

8. AGROECOLOGY
WORK with
NATURE
TRADITIONAL
KNOWLEDGE
SOIL, PEST/ Disease
Management
FOOD
SOVEREIGNITY
RESILIENCE
BIODIVERSITY
Community
Well-being

9. Sl. no components Chizami
Species
1. Wild edible fruits 50
2. Wild vegetables 52
3. Edible wild flowers 3
4. Wild edible mushrooms 25
Source: Research on
Micro nutrient -rich
species in Nagaland;
NEN (2018)
Food Basket beyond the Farm –
Forests are sources of Food & Nutrition

10. NEN’s (www.northeastnetwork.org) initiatives

11. Realize farmers’ right to food and
seed sovereignty
Promoting Community Seed Banks
Conserve local seed varieties
and traditional knowledge
Easy access to good, quality
local seeds

12. Strengthening millets based bio-diverse farming
Agrobiodiverse farming
ensure multiple securities
- Food, Nutrition,
Livelihood , fodder and
Ecological security in
climate-stressed and in
times pandemic

13. Leadership, Voice & Agency –
Rural women and girls,
women’s groups/ collectives
Gender equality – amplifying the
voices of women

14. Youth Engagement - Ecology & biodiversity

15. Sustainability = Local Production, Local consumption, Local
Distribution
 Producing Food for own
consumption comes first
 Local food distribution
through local market
(sale), exchange, donation
Access to healthy Food (greater
variety in food basket),
Healthy Environment

16. Building Networks of Solidarity

17. 1. Safeguard the common resources and retain in the hands of the community
2. Recognize Agroecology as the answer to global crisis- climate change, poverty ,
hunger. Encourage cultivation and production of micro nutrient rich and climate resilient
species
3. Recognize women’s knowledge, contribution and leadership in combating climate
change , poverty, hunger etc
4. Strengthening and deepening of grassroots research, evidence generation, organizing
and action
5. Policy support - Innovations , trainings & capacity building, appropriate technology
transfer, capital & credit, market linkages
THANK YOU
Seno Tsuhah
Honorary Member,
North East Network
Email: senotsuhah@gmail.com
Pathways for Building a food sovereign community