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Moderated e-mail conference on small farms and food security

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"Moderated conference on small farms and food security (October 2016)" <[log in to unmask]>
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Tue, 11 Oct 2016 12:53:02 +0000
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I am Dr Praveen Kumar Shrivastava, Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry, D.B.S. Post Graduate College Kanpur UP India. I am glad to take part in this e- conference.

 

In my district, malnutrition is very common and prevailing in all sections of society. The main reason for this is we forget to use traditional knowledge of our forefathers. In modern parlance we call it tribal knowledge or ethnobotanical knowledge. 



Each place has its own genus and species of plants and they are available for consumption. Due to lack of knowledge and awareness we are not using it. Use of these plants along with present food will help us to fight against hunger and malnutrition.



These plants are available in all places. To cultivate them by farmers in their meagre land, it is a crime. If we cultivate these plants there is no market and, for self-consumption, I as a farmer will never do it. Instead, I wish to cultivate these plants on land available in front of my house which belong to gram samaj government land or near street or any other unused land which is not cultivated so far.



It is possible some or all plants are not grown in area/place. Area-specific plant and their ethnobotanical survey is a must to combat malnutrition. Once self- consumption has started and then market will emerge so, in this way, small land holding farmer will gain additional money to sell unconsumed product. 



There is district-wise survey for ethnobotanical plants and some important plant can be grown in that place to get desired materials. List is very long and it is very informative. For example Asparagus racemosus Wt.; Bauhinia purpurae Wt. & Arn.; Bauhinia variegata L.; oerrhravia diffusa L.; Butea monosperma Kt.; Cassia fistula L.; Dioscorea bulbifera L.; Emblica officinalis Gearth.; Ficus glomerata L.; Cassia floribanda L.;  Jasminum auriculatum L.; Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) - an annual plant of the daisy family Asteraceae; Mahuhua Madhuca longifolia ; Moringa oleifera; Achyranthes aspera L.; Nymphea sentilla L.

 

Some of above plants are cultivated and market is available but they are not a substitute of main crops. This way we have two types of food - one which we are familiar with and food items which we are not familiar. To use non familiar food items is a real challenge. This challenge can be overcome by use of internet, school, college and all medium to disseminate this knowledge including government machinery to use non familiar food items.



Research for keeping in mind to fight malnutrition and grow more food to eat will certainly help small and very small farmers. They will get additional material to sell and get money. This way we can solve problem “to small farms and their role in food security and nutrition”



Dr. Praveen Kumar Shrivastava

Associate Professor,

Department of Chemistry.

D.B.S. Post Graduate College

Kanpur. U.P.208006.

India 

Mobile 91-9235390587

​e-mail: drpkshrivastava​ (at) gmail.com



[To contribute to this conference, send your message to [log in to unmask] For further information, see http://www.fao.org/nr/research-extension-systems/res-home/news/detail/en/c/434322/ ].



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