World Food Day – ‘Imported’ Food or Locally Grown Staple?

World Food Day - 'Imported' Food or Locally Grown Staple?
World Food Day is observed every year on October 16.
World Food Day - 'Imported' Food or Locally Grown Staple?
World Food Day is observed every year on October 16.

The food habits and its spending pattern has uplifted the rise of imported food in India to a great extent. Some of the major imports in the country are fruits, dried vegetables, edible oils, cereals, sugar confectioneries, and dairy products to name a few. Ironically, despite being the largest producer of many of these food groups, the consumption of imported food is growing every day.

Imported products are essential to staying relevant in the global market. It helps in reducing manufacturing costs and creates price stability worldwide. It also boosts efficiency and foster production on a large scale. Further, imported goods (including food products) encourage production as well.

Having said that, it is also affecting our lives negatively as we consider imported food to be the only way to get healthier – which is inaccurate and born out of misinformation. Today every person is conscious about what they are gorging on, which in turn creates a lot of dubiety and skepticism. Thanks to the myriad of information available in the online market. Though, most of that information is based on western diets and as per their respective climates. Which further triggers an important question which is, how to decide what is right for our body?

One of the celebrity nutritionists, Rujuta Diwekar, says, “… eat more food which is straight from the farm”. Yes, that is the key! Food should be consumed as per the country we live in and most importantly of our local region. If we consider our grandparents, they have inhabited diets focusing on the criteria as mentioned earlier.

Another important aspect is supporting local food systems. It will not only improve our health but also strengthen our local economies and communities, which further financially aids local small-scale farmers. Besides, supporting locally grown food not only benefits the environment but also promotes global ecology.

India is rich in food and spices that are native and makes our diet wholesome. Our staple diet consists of roti, rice, locally grown vegetables, which is believed to be nutritious enough to provide a balanced diet. So, go ahead and enjoy food that belongs to our heritage and support our farmers so that they don’t have to walk on the streets for their right to freedom from debts.