Being Vocal for Local Food
When we talk about being ‘vocal for local’ it is not just for the food we consume; it is more about the emotions, nostalgia and the feeling of being rooted to the grounds. Our emotions are attached to local herbs, vegetables, spices that bring out the memories of the tastes and flavours of our childhood that we have grown up with.
Given that the Northeast holds about 33% of India’s flora, many vegetables and fruits in the mountain regions like Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Sikkim, and the Northeast region are indigenous to the land and not found in outside the region. Vegetables that are available locally are rarely sold in outside market at commercial scale. Different varieties of indigenous crops like passion fruit, star fruit, wild tomato, tubers, beans, etc. are produced and grown here since time immemorial.
Given the difficult mountain terrains and lack of livelihood opportunities, most people in rural areas depend on farming for their livelihood. However, most people own small cultivable land and are subsistence farmers. This means, most of the production is consumed by the farmers and their families and whatever little surplus is sold in the market for additional income. Hence, buying local directly helps the local farmers and their families.
Consuming local produces means eating healthy and natural food. Because the farmers themselves consume the produces, they do not use harmful chemicals and fertilizers to increase production. This makes local produces natural and organic, and better in taste and nutrition value.
In this age of market-oriented economy driven by profits and productions, it is becoming increasingly difficult for subsistence farmers to earn their livelihood. Due to this, farmers are abandoning their fields and seeking alternatives livelihood opportunities.
Give the huge potential for horticulture and organic cultivation in the mountain regions, the Government of India is aggressively promoting Horticulture sector in the mountain regions of the Northeast and other Himalayan regions. The National Horticulture Board runs various schemes to support and assist farmers interested in setting up horticulture farms and businesses.
As responsible citizens, it is our duty to support our farmers by buying local products. This simple act in itself will bring huge change to community, healthy life, self-reliance, and opportunities for the local economy to grow.
