Jammu: On occasion of World Food Day, the Department of Social Work, Central University of Jammu (CUJ) organised a regional consultation on the theme “Regional consultation on Diversity of Indian Food Systems: Contemporary Issues and Challenges” under the patronage of Vice Chancellor Prof. Sanjeev Jain.
The conveners of the consultation were Dr. Ranvir Singh and Dr. Bhat Iqball Majeed, Assistant Professors at Department of Social Work. The consultation was formally started by a welcome address by Dr. Nancy Mengi, Head of the Department. The consultation had three sessions capturing the diversity in knowledge scopes by experts from disciplines of Ayurveda, Botany, Agriculture, Tribal Culture, Regional Organisations and Social Work.
First session was based on Food, Agro Biodiversity and Traditional Knowledge: Understanding the Triad. The session had Dr. Sanjeev Kumar from SKUAST, Jammu, Dr. Vasanta Kohli Sr, Dietician, Jammu and Ranjoy Gupta, Research Scholar from Department of Social Work, Central University of Jammu as panelists.
Second session was based on Food, Culture and Ethnobotanical diversity: Reflections from the Field which had Dr Samantha Vaishnavi from Department of Botany, Central University of Jammu, Javaid Rahi, Tribal Researcher and Social Activist; and Emeritus Professor Hariramamurthi from University of Trans-Disciplinary Health Sciences and Technology, Bengaluru as panelists.
The third session was based on Insights on Food: Health, Policy and Market Interlinkages. The session had Dr. Vikas Bajpai, Centre of Social Medicine and Community Health, JNU and Dr. Vikas Gupta, Jammu Institute of Ayurveda and Research, Jammu as panel members.
The consultation stressed on the need to engage into the cross-sectoral and disciplinary boundaries for a wider dialogue on the promotion, preservation and conservation of traditional knowledge in India.
The vote of thanks was presented by Dr. Vinay Kumar, Assistant Professor at Department of Social Work.
