ASHA Position Paper on Mandatory Fortification of Foods in India This position paper has been written by the Alliance for Sustainable & Holistic Agriculture (ASHA) in the context of mandatory fortification of foods like edible oil, milk and proposal for the same for rice in India. Whilst we agree with Food Safety and Standards Authority [...]

FPOs – Should they be Aggregating Agents of Agri corporations or Harbingers of Atma Nirbhar farming communities? “Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs)” is a term applied to different kinds of collectivisation of farmers, which can take different legal forms or even remain as informal. Such collectives are meant to empower the member farmers, especially in terms [...]

Webinar on “Sustainable Solutions to Straw Burning Problem” on 7th Nov (Saturday) at 3.30 pm The issue of straw/stubble burning and its impact on loss of soil fertility and adding to air pollution is a well-known issue and figures prominently in public debates at this time of the year annually. Many solutions are also being [...]

From: ASHA Kisan Swaraj <asha.kisanswaraj@gmail.com> Date: Thu, Nov 5, 2020 at 10:43 AM Subject: ASHA’s Response on FSSAI’s planned mandatory fortification of Edible Oil with Vitamin Aand Vitamin D and Rice with Vitamin B12, Iron and Folic Acid To: <ceo@fssai.gov.in> Cc: <Alokkumar.up@nic.in>, <min-wcd@gov.in>, <secy.wcd@gov.in>, <vch-niti@gov.in>, <hfm@gov.in>, <ns.tomar@sansad.nic.in>, <secy-agri@gov.in>, <min-food@nic.in>, <secy-food@nic.in>, <secyhfw@nic.in> To, Shri Arun Singhal, FSSAI CEO [...]

As a network working on sustainable farm livelihoods, the following is our analysis, mainly keeping farmers and stubble burning in mind. 1. Air quality, or conversely, air pollution is not majorly related to straw or stubble burning in agriculture. There are other factors that are contributing more significantly. Moreover, seen from the vantage point of [...]

———- Forwarded message ——— From: ASHA Kisan Swaraj <asha.kisanswaraj@gmail.com> Date: Wed, Oct 28, 2020 at 6:27 PM Subject: MoHFW/FSSAI’s draft amendmentF.No.Stds/Organic/Notification-01/FSSAI-2019 put out on 27th August2020 for amending the Food Safety and Standards (Organic Foods) Regulation 2017 To: <regulation@fssai.gov.in>, <ceo@fssai.gov.in> Cc: Kavitha Kuruganti <kavitakuruganti@gmail.com> To:                                                                                                                                 October 28th 2020 The Chief Executive Officer, Food Safety & [...]

Webinar on Protection of Farmers’ Seed Rights in India on 30th Oct, 2020 (Friday) at 3.30 pm (India Time: UST +5.30) Abstract : Since the beginning of  agriculture,  farmers — mainly women — domesticated, developed and nurtured the seeds for agriculture to satisfy various needs of humans. Modern plant variety development technologies including manipulation at [...]

ONLINE SEED DIVERSITY FESTIVAL 2020 24-25 October 2020 Declaration Seed is the first and critical link in the food chain. It is a sacred code of evolution, an embodiment of life and memory, a latent world waiting to unfold, a symbol of humankind’s collective endeavour and innovation. The seed gives itself to earth – soil, [...]

ONLINE SEED DIVERSITY FESTIVAL 24/25 OCT, 10 AM-2.30 PM Bharat Beej Swaraj Manch, ASHA-Kisan Swaraj, Save our Rice Campaign and Sahaja Samrudha invite you to an online Seed Diversity Festival on October 24th 2020 (Saturday) and October 25th 2020 (Sunday) 10am to 2.30pm on both days This unique online Seed Diversity Festival will celebrate and [...]

From: ASHA Kisan Swaraj Date: Mon, Sep 28, 2020 at 10:20 AM Subject: ASHA Letter on Data from Acclaimed Scientists on Failure of Bt Cotton in India and The Way Ahead – 28th Sep To: <pkmishra.pmo@gov.in>, <connect@mygov.nic.in>, <indiaportal@gov.in>, <prakash.j@sansad.nic.in>, <asaj.moefcc@gov.in>, <asud.moefcc@gov.in>, <kveluthambi@rediffmail.com>, <sricha@ias.nic.in>, <geac.secretariat@gov.in>, <tk.kathula@nic.in>, <drmadhudikshit@gmail.com>, <nitink.jain@nic.in>, <director.seed@icar.gov.in>, <sbakshi@fssai.gov.in>, <sbakshi.fssai@gmail.com>, <vbandi_1953@yahoo.com>, <sachinandan@ndri.res.in>, Sachinandan De <sachinandan@gmail.com>, <aksingh@iari.res.in>, [...]