31st World Food Day Celebration

 

World Food Day (WFD) was established by FAO’s Member Countries at the Organization’s 20th General Conference in November 1979. The Hungarian Delegation, led by the former Hungarian Minister of Agriculture and Food, Dr. Pál Romány has played an active role at the 20th Session of the FAO Conference and suggested the idea of celebrating the WFD worldwide. It has since been observed every year in more than 150 countries, raising awareness of the issues behind poverty and hunger. World Food Day is annually held on October 16 to commemorate the founding of the United Nations’ (UN) Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Each year has a different theme. The first World Food Day was celebrated in 1981 and this year was the 31st celebration of the World Food Day. Every year a theme is chosen for the celebration of World Food Day and for the year 2011 “FOOD PRICES – FROM CRISIS TO STABILITY” was the theme to shed some light on this trend and what can be done to mitigate its impact on the most vulnerable. Many programs are organized to celebrate the day. The programs are aimed at sensitizing the policy and decision makers at government, political parties and non-political entities at all levels involving the affected communities – through media mobilization / press attention on the topical issues around food, hunger and right to food.

Keeping in mind the FAO theme for WFD 2011, the National Network on the Right to Food, Nepal (RtFN) reworked on it to reflect the national context:
in Nepali सुपथ, सुरक्षित र गुणस्तर खाध्य परिपुर्ति गर ! जनताको खाध्य अधिकार र खाध्य संप्रभुता कार्यान्वयन गर!!

This is translated as: “Fulfill /ensure fair priced, safe and quality food! Implement the right to food and food sovereignty of the people”

Activities of FIAN-Nepal, cluster office in Nepalgunj

FIAN-Nepal an organization working for ensuring the Right to Food in Nepal also organized many activities to celebrate the day. FIAN-Nepal has recently opened its cluster office in Nepalgunj, a central city and a major market centre for mid and far western regions that have traditionally and historically food deficit areas, in the hills /mountain areas largely though also particular communities /groups in the terai areas, considered as food sufficient. The activities were conducted in collaboration with the of Right to Network of Banke and the Mid Western Region.

Activities

Signature Campaign, 16 October 2011
Signature campaign was done at Dhamboji Chowk, the heart of Nepalgunj city. The signature campaign commenced at 9:00 Hrs in the morning with the signature of Mr. Prem Dangal, the Chair person of FIAN-Nepal. More than fifteen hundred signatures were collected from people belonging to all walks of life in a span of two hours.

Mass Rally
Although the season of spring is approaching but the temperature in Nepalgunj was more than 35. Climate change may have been the factor for the heat or may be the euphoria for celebrating the World Food Day program may have upped the temperature. Although it was a hot day but a mass rally consisting nearly 200 people began its march from Dhamboji Chowk (square) to District Administration office, Banke at around 11.30 A.M. The rally had the participation of people from political parties, media, I/NGO’s expressing their solidarity for celebrating the World Food Day.

The participation of Kamlahari girls (Bonded “Tharu Slave” Girls), Laxmanpur dam affected people, Landless people and Ghasiar (Grass cutters) was overwhelming in the rally.
People carried banners that had various messages like
– ‘Ensure Right to Food of all the people”
– “Ensure Right to Food and Food Sovereignty as a fundamental Right in the new constitution”
– “Stop adulteration in food and ensure healthy food for healthy life”
– “Rehabilitate the “Laxmanpur dam affected people” and
– “Declare Banke district as Hunger Free district”

People had also carried empty plates along-with spoon, a symbolic gesture to showcase the violation of their ‘Right to Food”. They honked the plates with spoons throughout the stretch from Dhamboji Chowk to District Administration Office and also chanted slogans along the way. It took nearly 45 minutes to reach the District Administration Office from Dhamboji Square, a distance of nearly 2 KMs.

Handover of the Banner to CDO
The rally from Dhamboji square to District Administration office was peaceful with Police personnel escorting it. Upon reaching the DAO office, Mr. Prem Dangal, chairperson of FIAN-Nepal informed all the present their about the violations of Right to Food of people living in Banke district especially of Laxmanpur Dam affected people. He handed over the signature banner to the CDO Mr. Ghimire who committed and ensured that the banner having more than 1500 signatures in support of ‘Right to Food’ will reach the Prime Minister’s Office. Mr. Prem Dangal also requested the CDO of Banke district to consider the Laxmanpur dam case as a special case and initiate some actions to solve the issue at the earliest.

Interaction with People
An interaction programme among community people, political parties and media persons was organized in Siddhartha cottage from 1:30 P.M. Mr. Dharmaraj Rokaya, Coordinator of RtF Network, Mid Western Region was the chairperson for the Interaction program. The programme aimed to dwell on the issues round world food day theme and situation in Mid west region and particularly Banke with regards to food security and right to food and responses /commitment of the different authorities.

There were more than 150 participants in the interaction program including a major chunk of community people who despite the taxing and tiring rally, enthusiastically participated in the interaction program that was organized immediately after the completion of the rally.

Guest of Honours
The Guest of Honours for the interaction program were representatives of political parties, media personnel and representatives of community people whose Right to Food has been violated. The Guest of Honours was welcomed by the Vice Coordinator of RtF Regional Network Mr. Dil Bahadur Pariyar and was requested to occupy their seats. The Guest of Honors and speakers for the interaction program represented the Nepali Congress, UML, UCPN, FNJ, NGO federation, Farmer’s Group, Dalit Group, Kamlahari and Laxmanpur dam struggle committee.

Speech of representative of political parties
The representatives of all political parties committed that they will strive and try their best to ensure that Right to Food and Food Sovereignty is incorporated in the new constitution as a fundamental right. They also said that reducing hunger and poverty is the major challenge in the country as major chunk of the population still struggles for 2 square meals a day. They accepted that the successive government in Nepal has failed to provide even basic necessity like Food and Shelter to its People. They ensured that they will strive hard to improve the situation of the poor people and farmers. All the representatives agreed that Laxmanpur Dam issue is a gross violation of international rules and treaties and the affected people should be appropriately and adequately compensated for the loss of lives, properties and assets they have endured in all these years.

Federation of Nepal’s Journalist and Human Rights Forum
It is the role of the media to inform the people of the happenings in their locality and around the world. Nepal being a poor country, the country has many issues which have not been taken seriously by the government. The media will play its role in highlighting the issues of RtF violations of the people and create pressure on the government to ensure that the RtF of people is ensured. The Human Rights representative also spoke of food as the most fundamental of all the rights and the need to safeguard this basic and fundamental right of the people.

Voices of the representatives of community people
Kamlahari: (Ms. Sumitra Chaudhary)
The representative of Kamlahari Ms. Sumitra Chaudhary gave a very heart touching speech. It is hunger and poverty that forces the parents to send their girls as Kamlahari in the houses of well to do people. If even food was available, may be a lot of girls of her community would not have become slaves at a young age in the house of other people. The government must at least ensure 2 square meals to the poor so that they are not compelled to part with their children and send their girls to work as “slaves” in the house of well to do people.

Dalit Welfare Organization: The dalits have been ostracized for centuries and although many efforts have been taken in the recent years to bring the dalits in the mainstream of development, a large chunk of population still struggles for hand to mouth survival. In remote areas the dalit people still find it difficult to feed themselves and their family. The government should take measures that will enable all people to have access to adequate food.

Farmer’s Group:
We are the sons of the soil, but even we as producers are finding it difficult to ensure food for our family. The failed rains, the erratic weather pattern and dependence on rainfall for agriculture have declined the agriculture production. The decline in production has forced small farmers to give up farming and take up other professions. The government’s apathy towards small farmers and absence of subsidy has ensured that even the farmers Right to Food are violated. When a farmer fails to feed even his own family, how can he ensure provision of food to others?

Laxmanpur Dam struggle committee
6 VDCs are badly affected by the laxmanpur and complementary Kalkalwa afflux constructed by India only 300-500 metres away from No-Man’s-Land on Nepal-India border. The 6 VDCs had fertile land and farmer’s always had surplus production, but due to inundation and flooding after the construction of the dam and afflux, the farmers are finding it difficult for hand to mouth survival and are also being displaced from their land. The once fertile land is becoming barren because of inundation and flooding. Permanent embankment should be constructed to protect the land and to ensure that the farmers and families are not displaces and their RtF is ensured

Wrap up and closing Remarks:
Mr. Dharma Rokaya concluded the interaction program by thanking all the people for making the Interaction program a success. He also thanked the representatives of polticial parties, journalists and FIAN-Nepal for active participation in the rally and the interaction program.

Dissemination through Radio Programs (interviews and coverage)
On the eve of World Food Day, interview of Mr. Ashok Singh, FIAN- Program coordinator for mid and far western region and Mr. Dharma Rokaya Coordinator of RtF Regional Network for mid western region was broadcasted in radio FM channels like Krishnasaar FM, Bheri FM and Bageshwori FM. Both of them informed the listeners of Right to Food, its concept, Food Sovereignty and cases of RtF violations in mid and far western region. They also informed the listeners of the different activities FIAN-Nepal and RtF Regional network is organizing to celebrate the World Food Day.

Conclusion
The world food day program was celebrated with lot zeal and enthusiasm. The signature campaign was a grand success with more than 1500 signatures in about 2 hour’s period. The participation of the community people in the program was overwhelming. Even when the sun was shining at its peak and the temperature was soaring, all the involved in the program carried on with the rally displaying banners, chanting slogans and honking plates with spoons. The enthusiasm reached a high on reaching the DAO and chanting slogans and honking plates crossed the decibel limits. The response of the CDO was warm and his commitment to ensure signature banner reaches the Prime Minister boosted the morale of the people. Interaction program was fruitful and acceptance of the political parties that the successive government has failed to fulfill the food requirements of the people and their commitment to strive to ensure that all people have access and reach to food was warmly welcomed by all the present in the interaction program. The presence of Mr. Prem Dangal through the day right from signature campaign, handing over of the signature banner to CDO and active participation in the interaction program was ‘Icing on the cake’.

The media coverage in print, electronic and wavelength was responsive including national dailies and TV channels. Almost all the local newspapers had published the activity in the front page and some had even written editorials regarding the World food day and its importance and reasons for its celebration in food deficit country like Nepal. The wavelength media i.e. radio and F. M also provided very good coverage of the celebration and flashed news of it. The world food day program was celebrated in other districts like Dang, Surkhet, Dailekh and Bajura where RtF networks were formed.

The program overall was a success considering the short duration of the cluster office in Nepalgunj that came into operations only from the month of August/September 2011.

As follow –up /support “Urgent Actions” are being prepared for the cases/issue of Laxmanpur dam affected communities and Gandarva communities land entitlement / rights including other ESC rights – to be issued from FIAN International and Asian Human Rights Commission respectively, later this week. The former one is to be issued, prior to prime ministers’ Dr Baburam Bhattaria’s visit to India scheduled later this week.