A dimension within Local Food Security
This theme examines the role of forest foods and local produce within public distribution systems to ensure nutrition and food security.
150 voices speak to this
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Positive
Overall Community Sentiment
AI-synthesised pieces woven from many community voices on this theme. They may contain errors or interpretation — they're a reflection of the stories, not a record of fact.

Our community advocates for the integration of traditional, locally sourced foods into public programs to nourish children and preserve cultural heritage for future generations.

By incorporating local, traditional grains like ragi and millet into school lunch programs, communities can significantly improve children's health and well-being.

By cherishing and utilizing the traditional foods and herbs found in our forests and lands, we can sustain ourselves and combat malnutrition while preserving our natural heritage.

To preserve our health and culture, we advocate for the inclusion of native, nutritious grains in public food programs.
To include forest-based foods like Mahua ladoo, Char ladoo, Phuljhi, etc., in PDS and midday meals.
— Anjana Khadia · Sundargarh, Odisha
Include forest-based food items such as Mahua laddoo, Chaar laddoo, Fuljhi, etc., in the Public Distribution System (PDS) and mid-day meals.
— Anjana Khadia · Sundargarh, Odisha
Local forest food is available. It should be included through PDS and in meals, and the government should promote it.
— Laxmanlal
The most nutritious locally edible forest food items should be included in PDF mid-day meals, and the government wants to promote their nutritional value for children.
— Laxmanlal
The forest contains nutritious foods like Pitalu, Baya, Tunga, Water Yam, Elephant Foot Yam, Bitter Ginari greens, Putukuli, Honey, Amla, Bahada, and Kendu. The government should consider adding some of these to the PDS (Public Distribution System).
— Prasanna Pradhan · Mayurbhanj, Odisha
It would be good if the government provides forest foods like Mahua, Chhar, and Kendu as food in the MDM (Mid-Day Meal scheme).
— Priti majhi
It would be good if the government provides forest foods like honey, Chaar, and Kendu as food in the midday meal.
— Priti majhi
If the government distributes forest foods like Mahua, Kendu, and other such forest produce to children as PDS food.
— Priti majhi
The government should add seasonal fruits like Jamun, mango, ber, katola vegetable, Vegri Doda vegetable, indigenous mushrooms, bael fruit, mahua kheer, Kalthiya ki ghugri, kodo, batti, bhadi (little millet), etc., to forest food items in PDS and MDM.
— Surajsingh Parmar · Alirajpur, Madhya Pradesh
If forest foods like Char, Mahua, Kendu, Mango, and Jam are added to PDS and mid-day meals, consumers will get nutritious food.
— RINA BEHERA · Sundargarh, Odisha
It would be good if the government promoted these most nutritious forest foods like bananas, karadi, and kandhamula in PDS (Public Distribution System) and mid-day meals.
— anita khora · Sutipadar, Koraput, Odisha
If the government distributes forest foods like Mahua, Kendu, Chaar, etc. as PDS food to children.
— Priti majhi
Amla pickle should be included in mid-day meals among local forest food items, and traditional produce like Kodo, Kutki, maize, and pulses like Kurthi, Moong, Chana, and Rahar should be included in PDS.
— Rupesh Maravi
The local forest foods most crucial for tackling severe malnutrition are Charo, Kendu, and Pitalukanda, which should be promoted by the government by providing them in PDS and midday meals.
— Pankajini Chhatria
If millet, maize, cashew, pigeon pea, Judung, etc., are included as forest foods in the mid-day meal, it will encourage the government.
— Samana Mandangi
Request to the government: It would be good if forest products like Mahua, Char, Kendu, and Kaku were made into ladoos and provided in the BDS mid-day meal.
— Priti majhi
It would be good if forest products like Mahula, Char, and Kendu were provided in mid-day meals through PDS.
— Priti majhi
It would be good if forest products like Mahul, Char, and Kendu are provided through the PDS system for mid-day meals.
— Priti majhi
Among forest products, Mahua is also a nutritious food. It would be good if the government utilizes this Mahua in various ways and provides it in school mid-day meals.
— Anjana Khadia · Sundargarh, Odisha
Forest yam is a nutritious food. So, we request the government to add it to PDS and Midday Meal programs.
— Sita Behera · Dashapalla, Nayagarh, Odisha
We can promote the forest-based nutritious food found on Amar's website to the government for programs like PDS midday meals.
— Kanaka Pradhan
It would be good if all the nutritious foods found in the forest such as Lepherasā, Kachar sāg, Gukurijīv sāg, Kaḍī, Heḍuā, Chhati, Ruguḍā are added to the Mid-Day Meal PDS.
— RINA BEHERA · Hemagiri, Sundargarh, Odisha
The government should promote the most nutritious foods easily available in our region, such as kodo, kutki, maize, along with tur dal, gram, and horse gram lentils, and include them in PDS and mid-day meals.
— Rupesh Maravi · Mandla, Madhya Pradesh
Request to the government: It would be good if forest products like Mahul, Chara, Kina, and Kaku were made into ladoos and given in BDS midday meals.
— Priti majhi
Fruits found in the forest such as Jamun, Custard Apple, Mahua, Chawar, etc., should be added to the Midday Meal.
— Gopal
If the government provides forest food like honey and some other forest produce as part of the midday meal, it would be good.
— Priti majhi
Mahua flowers and other foods obtained from the forest are very nutritious. Therefore, it is appropriate to include these foods in PDS or mid-day meals.
— Anjana Khadia · Sundargarh, Odisha
Government, please confirm with your people. Provide food and local forest food for the people under the PDS mid-day meal scheme. If it is provided from your side, the people will be able to sell it.
— Kanaka Pradhan · Balangir, Odisha
If we talk about the most nutritious food, if the government provides our forest products like Mahul, Char, and Kendu as food in MDM (Mid-Day Meal), then children will eat it and become intelligent.
— Priti majhi
Nutritious forest produce, such as millet, will be provided to children as part of their midday meals through the Public Distribution System.
— Padmini Bhoi
Fruits obtained from the forest are also important for the physical and mental development of children and for providing nutrition; the government should include them as traditional food items in school mid-day meals.
— Anil Pargi · Maliya Dokar, Banswara, Rajasthan
Speaking of the most nutritious food, if the government provides our forest products like Mahul, Char, Kendu, etc., as food in MDM (Mid-Day Meal), children will eat them and become intelligent/wise.
— Priti majhi
Forest produce fruits found in the forest like Kendu, Char, and Mahula contain abundant nutritious food. It would be good to include them in students' mid-day meals.
— Kumudini Chhanchan · Bhojpur, Sambalpur, Odisha
The traditional nutritious food of our community like Kodo, Kutki, maize, sorghum, wheat, arhar, sesame, masoor, moong, chana, batla etc. should be included in PDS (Public Distribution System) and mid-day meals, and the government should promote them.
— Rupesh Maravi · Mandla, Madhya Pradesh
The government should include millet in PDS or mid-day meals.
— Kusha Mahakud
If forest-based foods like Mahua, Chironji, and Kendu were prepared and given to our school children in their Mid-Day Meal, it would be beneficial.
— Priti majhi
It would be appropriate if forest products like Mahua ladoo are prepared and served as part of the Mid-Day Meal in schools.
— Priti majhi
The government should include locally available fruits, papaya, and other items in PDS.
— SHIVRAM YADAV · Mandla, Madhya Pradesh
Including food items like mahua ladoo made from mahua found in our forests in the school's midday meal can provide nutritious food to children.
— Anjana Khadia · Subdega, Sundargarh, Odisha
The government is giving new things to eat in MDH, which means that if we add some of our forest-based foods, like fried items (such as fried ridge gourd, fried wild yam), and also add greens and lentils, it would be good.
— Ulapi Sahu · Balangir, Odisha
The voices in this theme were gathered by these organisations through their community reports.