HAPPY ASAR 15: Celebrating culture, land, and food!
Author: Bronika Thapa ( Active Member- Youth Focus Group in support of UN Food Systems Summit, MGCY)
Today is Asar 15 (29th June), here in Nepal. The day is celebrated widely in Nepal as a part of the culture that respects the land, farmers, and food. Because it is ‘National Paddy Day’. Okay, what are we up to today? Farmers worship their field and transplant rice seedlings that are ready to be transplanted and enjoy the yummy combination of beaten rice and curd called “Dahi Chiura” You can sneak peek in the picture below! Curd, mangoes, banana, beans, and beaten rice!! I am sure, you are drooling ;)
Dahi chiura carries great nutritional values and helps to regenerate the mood of tired and worn-out farmers. It is believed to boost the immunity of farmers against germs on mud. And, in the majority of the instances here in Nepal, the curd is made locally in households with the use of milk from local cows and buffaloes!
According to International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), by 2050, the price of rice will increase by 32.37% due to climate change impacts on productivity. The rice productivity will decrease by 14% in South Asia and by 10% in East Asia. This is definitely a sad situation. Our next generations will have to face more severe problems just to ensure little more production. Moreover, field capacity is slowly decreasing and the use of pesticides, insecticides have degraded soil quality.
In the present context, our future generations are at great threat of food insecurities. So it is necessary to make them involved in our farming system from now. Increasing population, degrading soil health, and increase in climate-related impacts have made farming even more difficult, leading smallholder farmers to the vicious cycle of debt and poverty. But, the smiling face of farmers bounded culturally and emotionally, as seen in Asar 15, gives me the rays of hope. I hope that UN Food Systems Summit will play a major role in protecting the rights of smallholder farmers and making farming more sustainable than ever so that we can enjoy Asar 15 for trillions of decades to come.
About the Author:
Bronika Thapa (Nepal) is an agriculture and animal science student, climate activist, and feminist. She is an active member of the ‘Youth Focus Group’ of the Major Group for Children and Youth, in support of UN Food Systems Summit 2021.
Know more about Major Group for Children and Youth: https://www.unmgcy.org/
Join the YOUTHS in Food Systems Community: https://foodsystems.community/communities/youth/
