Coarse grains, like bajra and jowar, have been enduring staples in the diets of many Indians, often cultivated by small women farmers. However, the advent of fast food has led the younger generation to shift away from consuming these nutritious grains. Consequently, farmers have encountered challenges in obtaining fair market prices for their coarse grains, prompting a transition to cash crops.
SEWA’s Smart Food campaign has played a pivotal role in revitalizing the importance of these coarse grains. Rural women received training on crafting biscuits and bread using these traditional staples, resulting in baked products that are now served to children at daycare centers and schools. Additionally, these products are made available for sale within the community through the Kamala Cafe.
These concerted efforts not only promote the production and consumption of locally grown food crops such as millet but also empower women farmers to create value-added products, ensuring the sustainability of traditional grains in the modern era.
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The “Women Ensuring Food Security and Nutrition: Forgotten Foods Cooking Contest” is organized by the consortium Asian Farmers’ Association for Sustainable Rural Development (AFA) and La Via Campesina (LVC) through the Asia-Pacific Farmers’ Program (APFP) – Farmers’ Organizations for Asia (FO4A) and Assuring Resiliency of Family Farmers (ARISE). APFP-FO4A is supported by the European Union (EU) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). ARISE is supported by IFAD.
More info at https://asianfarmers.org/women-ensuring-food-security-and-nutrition-forgotten-foods-cooking-contest/
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