Anna Vilambaram, curtain raiser for Annam 2015 national festival
Minister for Food and Civil Supplies, Anoop Jacob said that the State is fast becoming a haven of food sold in packets. Modern food is reigning our dining tables, subsiding our ethnic food and culinary heritage. “I don’t have the opinion that we should keep away from modern food. We can have it once in a month or two. But a complete surrender to modern food would be disastrous”, the minister reminded. He was speaking today (Thursday) at Gandhi Bhavan here after lighting a lamp to inaugurate Anna Vilambaram, a curtain raiser for the forthcoming third Annam 2015 National Food and Agro Biodiversity Festival to be held during 10-14 December at Kochi. Mr. Anoop Jacob added that programmes like Annam 2015 will help his department’s endeavours to intensify public vigil against the unabated invasion of junk food into our homes. Co-ordinator of Nehru Yuva Kendra (NYK), Ali Sabrin presided over. Mr. Sabrin said that the NYK will support Annam 2015 to carry its benign messages among the youth.
Hundreds of students belonging to MGM Model School, Varkala; Bharatheeya Vidya Peet, Parassala and city’s Cotton Hill Girls’ Higher Secondary School took part in Anna Vilambaram. Joining the students were a group of organic farmers from Nanniyode village. Students displayed their talent in traditional culinary by preparing certain bygone dishes of Kerala including Agathi Cheera Thoran, Muringa leaf soup, Banana flower thoran, and cooked tapioca served with chutney made from ten leaves.
Multi-nutrition steam cake Puttu prepared by Haripriyan a class six student of MGM School could get large number of fans. Participants jostled to get unniyappam sold at Rs.1 each, home made by a nameless grandma whose unniyappam has got high demand at Nanniyode country market. Instead of offering floral bouquets, children welcomed guests including the minister by giving unpolluted curry leaves bouquets. Two mothers from Nanniyode Mothers’ Group presented Anna Muram containing organic vegetables to Dr. C. Suresh Kumar, General Secretary of the voluntary organization, Centre for Innovation in Science and Social Action (CISSA), the principal organizer of Annam 2015.
Dr. B. Padmakumar, Professor of Medicine, Thiruvananthapuram Medical College talked to children about a five-point rule regarding food. Children received with a clap his teachings on When to eat, what to eat, how to eat, where to eat and food hygiene.
PA to Kerala Agriculture Minister, K.P. Ramesh Babu; Kerala Agriculture University former Director, Dr. C.K. Peethambaran; Secretary, Gandhi Smarak Nidhi, Jagadish; Agriculture Officer, Nanniyode Krishi Bhavan, Jayakumar; Chief of voluntary organization, Thanal, Shridhar Radhakrishnan and Ajith Venniyur spoke. General Secretary of CISSA, Dr. C. Suresh Kumar gave welcome speech; and Head – Publication, Sivakumar K.P. proposed vote of thanks.
Principal slogan for Annam 2015 in Kochi is ‘Youth, Food and Health’. Annam Food and Agro Biodiversity festival has been held biennially since 2008 as part of Annam Movement led by Dr. Vandana Shiva. The fest will propagate the message of good food, local food and healthy food. An exhibition with over 200 stalls, national seminar, organic farmers meet, cookery ad photography competitions and cultural evenings will be part of Annam 2015.
Annam 2015 is also a platform where food and agriculture experts, policy makers, environmental scientists and experienced farmers will sit together to ferret out strategies for regaining the eroding glory of native heritages in food. The event will constitute a massive movement to stop the deluge of modern junk and face food that has started uprooting ethnic base of our food culture.
