For Environment, Democracy and Livelihoods
44th World Food Day Celebrated
This year, the 44th World Food Day was celebrated worldwide with the slogan “Rights to food for a better life and better future”. ForestAction Nepal, the secretariat of the Alliance of Agriculture for Food, organized an event in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, and the allied organizations on November 11, 2024, in Staff College, Lalitpur, Nepal. The main objectives of this event were to commemorate World Food Day, raise awareness about the importance of sustainable farming approaches, and to celebrate Nepal’s diverse local, indigenous, cultural and traditional cuisine.
One of the key highlights of the event was the participatory theatre play titled “Sattapatta”, performed by the Shilpee Theatre Group. Sattapatta is a story about farming, and it gives the audience a message about the impact of the modern farming system on our indigenous and traditional knowledge, technologies, soil, seeds, and human health.
Following the engaging theatre play, “Raithane Khadhya Sanjh” (local food festival) was organized to celebrate the diversity and richness of our local cuisine, featuring a variety of delicious dishes representing various regions of Nepal. In addition to the food festival, an exhibition was set up within the program venue to further promote awareness about sustainable agriculture and biodiversity conservation. The exhibition showcased an impressive collection of local and indigenous seeds, emphasizing the importance of preserving Nepal’s agricultural heritage. Posters were displayed, providing valuable information on the significance of sustainable farming practices, impacts of climate change and the benefits of using indigenous seeds over commercial alternatives.
This event was attended by the former Hon. Deputy Prime Minister, Hon. Parliament members, politicians, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock development secretaries, joint secretaries, activists, local government representatives from Kathmandu Valley, farmers, youth/ students, professors, I/NGOs representatives, authors, and media persons.
ForestAction Nepal/AAF extends its heartfelt gratitude to MoAD, DOA, ERI, CAED, FIAN Nepal, SWI, Li-BIRD, NFGF, NLRF, CSRC, DBI, CEPP, IM Swedish Development Partner, Action Aid Nepal, WHH, and ANAJ for the collaboration to make this event happen.
