The food security initiatives of the Foundation are being implemented
under the aegis of the B V Rao Centre for Sustainable Food Security
and the Ford Foundation Chair for Women and Sustainable Food Security
B V Rao Centre for Sustainable Food Security
Background:
The B V Rao Centre for Sustainable Food Security was established with an endowment grant made by the Venkateswara Group of Companies. Its major aim is to give operational content, particularly in the area of public policy, to the following definition of sustainable food security.
- That every individual has the physical, economic, social, and environmental access to a balanced diet that includes the necessary macro-and micro-nutrients, safe drinking water, sanitation, environmental hygiene, primary healthcare and education so as to lead a healthy and productive life
- That food originates from efficient and environmentally benign production technologies that conserve and enhance the natural resource base of crops, animal husbandry, forestry, inland and marine fisheries
(Annual Report 1996-97)
Current Activities:
Under the broad framework given above, the currently ongoing activities of the Centre can be divided into five strands:
| Research |
Field level Action Projects |
Training & Capacity Building |
Nutrition Security |
Advocacy |
I. Research:
Food Insecurity Reports, Database on Food Security
Food Insecurity Atlases of Rural and Urban India and Atlas of Sustainability of Food Security in India were produced between 2001-2005.
[
Atlas of the Sustainability of Food Security,
Food Insecurity Atlas of Urban India and
Food Insecurity Atlas of Rural India]
A Second Report on the Food Insecurity Situation in Rural India is under preparation now, to be followed by a similar exercise on Urban Food Insecurity.
II. Field level Action projects:
Community Food Systems, Enlarging the Food Basket through utilization of underutilized crops, Diet Survey for planning nutrition interventions
- Models of Community foodgrain banks are in operation in tribal pockets in Orissa and Tamil Nadu; the attempt is to develop a Gene-Seed-Grain continuum chain. Initiative to increase feed availability through Community Feedgrain (in Namakkal)/Fodder Banks (in Ladakh) have been tried
- Study on minor millets' utilization and value addition, to increase market and consumption
III. Training & Capacity Building Material:
A training manual on setting up Community Gene-Seed-Grain Banks has been developed based on the experience of implementing the pilot projects.
IV. Nutrition Security:
Nutrition awareness programmes; nutrition curriculum assessment workshops
V. Advocacy:
Dissemination workshops at various levels, brainstorming workshops etc.
A National Nutrition Conclave was organized in August 2007 in collaboration
with the ICMR and the Vistaar Project of USAID.[
Chennai Declaration]
Initiatives in Vidarbha
In addition to the above, the Centre is coordinating the work with farmer suicide affected families in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra.[
Initiatives in Vidarbha]
Ford Foundation Chair for Women and Sustainable Food Security
The Chair was established at the Foundation in 2002 by Dr. Susan Beresford, President of the Ford Foundation on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Ford Foundation's presence in India.
The focus of the Chair is primarily on research. Gender Concerns in Food Security, impact of rural distress on women have been the areas of study. Workshops, advocacy and awareness generation through lectures and publications are among the activities undertaken for dissemination.[
Gender Concerns in Food Security]