Institute of Agricultural Science (BHU) celebrates Terra Madre Day

Varanasi, December 12, 2011: Institute of Agricultural Science, Banaras Hindu University (BHU) celebrated Terra Madre Day here on Monday. The aim of the day is eating locally to popularize the concept of Slow Food. BHU is one of the 2000 “Terra Madre” Community Food Centers.

Slow food celebrates Terra Madre Day around the world, on December 10 every year. It was founded in 1989 to promote the concept of “Good Clean and Fair Food” available locally in Italy. To counter the fast growth of ‘Fast Food’, the foundation has got the people together under umbrella of ‘Slow Food’ on December 10, under the banner of the “Terra Madre Day”.

Speaking on the occasion the chairman of the programme Prof. Shive Raj Singh said there were 100,000 registered members of Slow Food spreading around its 160 member countries. Gave a brief account of Slow Food concept, Professor Singh said slow food promotes access to ‘Good, Clean and Fair Food’ to all people. Such food should be readily available in local market. He said ‘Good’ means; fresh and flavorsome daily diet which satisfy the sense and is part of local culture; ‘Clean’ means produce the food using the methods that don’t harm environment and human health; and ‘Fair’ means providing fair conditions and compensations for producers and accessible prices for consumers. “Slow Food works to defend the right to good, clean and fair food for all people and emphasizes that pleasure and responsibility must go hand-in-hand,” he added.

Prof. Singh pointed out the other issues being debated among its members were ; agriculture and food biodiversity, small scale food production; food sovereignty; language; cultural and traditional knowledge; environmentally friendly food production; fair and sustainable food trade.

“It may be noted that during last 100 years we have lost 80 per cent food biodiversity, one third of cattle, sheep, pig and other foods. We have lost 300,000 vegetable species during last century and every 6 hours we are losing one local vegetable variety”, he remarked.

Porf. Ram Pratap Singh, Director of the Institute, who was the chief guest of the function, said food is the top most requirement of life and it is directly related with farmers. He thanked Biram Kumar Chourasia and all the members of the Varanasi Terra Madre Day celebration committee for their hard work to make programme grand successes.

In this occasion an essay competition is organized on Slow Food vs Fast Food. 1st, 2nd, 3rd and Consolation prizes and certificates were awarded to winners. Kumari Jayasudha S (first), Kumari Garima Singh (second), Rameshwar Dayal Lodhi (third) and Devbrat awarded consolation prizes. 10 farmers were awarded SLOW FOOD FARMERS AWARD 2011 for promoting organic farming and traditional agriculture in their area. They were Sant Ram Pandey, Gaurav Srivastav, Shitla Rai, Shalu Devi, Shakuntala Devi, Brajesh Kumar Baheliya, Kaushlesh Pathak, Sudhir Kumar Singh, Girja Shankar Singh, Sumil Tiwar & Sri Rakesh Singh.

Terra Madre Day Celebration Committee awarded SLOW FOOD AWARD 2011 to Prof. Ram Pratap Singh, Director, Instt. of Ag. Sc., BHU also for his excellence contribution in Agriculture Education.

The programme was attended by the heads of the different departments with Prof. J S Bohra, Prof. Ravi P. Singh, Coordinator (RGSC), Bipram Kumar Chourasia, Students of B.Sc.(Ag.), M.Sc.(Ag.), Ph. D. and more than 100 farmers form Chandauli, Sonbhdra, Mirzapur and Varanasi.

Prof Shive Raj Singh welcoed the guets while Prof. Rajesh Singh proposed a vote of thanks.. Biram Kumar Chourasia conducted the proceedings.

Photo caption: From top: Prof. Ram Pratap Singh (left), Director, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, receives SLOW FOOD AWARD 2011 from Professor Rajesh Singh in BHU on December 12, 2011.

All the awards winners of Terra Madre Day function pose for a group photograph in BHU on December 12, 2011.

Photo and News PPP Cell-BHU