Ranchi: Food fest showcase nutritional high indigenous cuisines 

Ranchi, October 17: Several NGOs to mark World Food Day organised Jharkhand Local Food Festival at Ranchi aimed at highlighting  the need to ensure a healthy diet for all and to celebrate the promotion of food and nutrition security.

The NGOs Partnering Hope into Action (PHIA) Foundation, Professional Assistance for Development Action (PRADAN), SwitchON Foundation, Revitalizing Rainfed Agriculture Network (RRAN), National Coalition for Natural Farming (NCNF), Sarva Seva Samity Sanstha (4S) and Traid Craft jointly organised the food festival at Old Assembly Ground in Ranchi to celebrate nutrition – rich indigenous food culture of Jharkhand. 

The Jharkhand Local Food Festival showcased the diverse indigenous and local food cultures of the people of Jharkhand and their harmonious sustainable co-existence with nature over the ages. 

It facilitated knowledge sharing and interactive demonstrations of highly nutritious traditional recipes cultivated and revered by successive generations. Besides celebrating Jharkhand’s rich culinary and cultural heritage, the objective of the festival was to highlight sustainable and organic farming methods, underscore the nutritional significance of indigenous food grains, celebrate the International Year of Millet, and commemorate 10 years of the National Food Security Act (NFSA) 2013.

The programme commenced with a lively and vibrant cultural performance by Mahavir Paharia and team. This was followed by the plenary session on ‘Historical and Contextual Perspectives of Jharkhand Local Food Systems.’

There were four parallel sessions on the topics: ‘Food Sovereignty for Achieving Food and Nutrition Security’, ‘Market Shaping Food Choices’, ‘Sustainable Agriculture for Strengthening Local Food Systems’ and ‘Value Chain of Village Food Products.’ 

 “Indigenous millet and rice hold the key to a more resilient and nutritious future. Through this festival, we celebrate the cultural significance of these grains and the local farmers who preserve the heritage. We are committed to building a sustainable ecosystem so this super future food can be adopted by all,” said  Vinay Jaju, managing director of SwitchON Foundation.

Over 35 stalls were put up at the Jharkhand Local Food Festival venue which were provided free of cost to food start-ups from the community especially from rural areas of Jharkhand by the organizers to motivate and provide a platform for who are striving to revive, maintain and promote consumption of eco-friendly and nutritious local foods the stalls. 

A stall was also put up by the Women, Child Development and Social Security department of Jharkhand. The delicious attractions included a variety of food items such as variety of local tea, pitha and madua roti, madua laddu, dumbu, chilka roti, bamboo chicken, variety of chutneys, chakor saag etc. 

Visitors in large numbers thronged the food stalls to savour an exciting variety of delicious local and indigenous food items which were prepared by the food entrepreneurs such as Lahanti Club, Bhoomi Ka, Ora-ka-thali, the Pitha House, Mandi Edpa and Open Field among others from communities across different districts of Jharkhand. 

To motivate the food start-ups a jury of experts selected start-ups to be recognized for their valuable contribution in promoting the vanishing local food cuisines and culinary practices while maintaining harmony with nature. and eco-friendly agri-food practices.