The Terra Madre Salone del Gusto 2018 will take place in Turin, Italy from the 20th to 24th September. This year’s theme is “Food for Change”.
This biennial meeting aims to bring together a network of food communities, small producers and processors, fishermen, cooks, academicians and youth delegates for five days, with the aim of developing small-scale food production, which is traditional and sustainable.
NESFAS, being a grassroots organization working with food and agrobiodiversity, nominated five delegates who will be representing the indigenous food communities of North East India at the event. The delegates include Neitshopeu Thopi, youth development worker and women’s rights activist, NEN, Nagaland; Pius Ranee, Sr. Associate, NESFAS; Merrysha Nongrum, Associate, NESFAS; Shaiphar Dohling, farmer and headmaster of SSA UP School, Dewlieh village, Laitkhroh CnRD Block, East Khasi Hills; and Sengran Agitok Sangma, farmer and school teacher from Rangwalkamgre village, Rongram Block, West Garo Hills.
During this time, NESFAS delegates will get an opportunity to learn and share some of the good practices for the promotion of indigenous food systems of the region.
On the 26th September 2018, at Bioversity International, Rome, Italy, Shaiphar Dohling will highlight the problems faced by indigenous farmers of the region and explore the possibilities of connecting to other indigenous farmer groups through the Indigenous Food Communities Alliance. They will also be part of a workshop that will bring together an international group of experts and young fellows to brainstorm and share ideas on developing the curriculum of the Indigenous Youth Fellowship Programme. This fellowship programme, initiated by the Indigenous Partnership for Agrobiodiversity and Food Sovereignty (TIP), is a platform for exchange among young minds from indigenous communities and sync then to world views and actions while maintaining their identities.
