Three Trainings in Tamil Nadu on Biodiversity for Food and Nutrition: Linkages with the Health of Women Farmers Involved in Spice Production

25 Aug, 2022

Biodiversity plays a crucial role in human nutrition through its influence on the quality of food production as it ensures the sustainable productivity of soils and conserves natural resources and ecosystems. It provides access to a variety of nutritious food which is required for a good health. Women have a better understanding of the nutritional and cultural needs of their families and community. They are therefore, better positioned to identify the challenges and solutions needed to improve their food and nutrition security in rural areas.

Biodiversity is the basis for Agriculture. Spices being high-value crops, farmers have been adding more agrochemicals for more yield. Increased use of agrochemicals, increased monocropping, use of pesticides, and insecticides has affected the agro-ecosystems adversely. Thus, there is a need for conservation of biodiversity in the spices sector. Also, women are the backbone of Indian Agriculture, as 90% of the farm labor and farm workers are women. Most of the important intercultural operations like sowing, weeding, harvesting, post-harvest management are carried out by women only. Rural women play a vital role in conserving biodiversity and can be defined as ecosystem managers. They are the guardians and defenders of water, seeds, forests, territories, and ecosystems. Thus, capacity development of women in the spices sector is essential for the conservation of Agro-biodiversity in Spices Farms.

DPP GIZ-AVT McCormick project organized three trainings on Biodiversity for Food and Nutrition: Linkages with the Health of Women Farmers involved in Spice Production in Erode district of Tamil Nadu with turmeric farmers. These trainings were organized at different locations with project farmers at Thalavadi, Erode and Gobi blocks of the Erode district. The first training was organized in Thalavadi on 20^th August, 2022, and subsequently the second and third training were organized at Erode and Gobi on 22^nd and 24^th August respectively. Around 45 women participated in each training. Mr. Ashok Nair, Head, Sustainable Agriculture Operations, AVT McCormick elaborated about the project while Dr. Poonam Pandey, Project Manager, DPP GIZ-AVT Spices, explained about the need for and importance of biodiversity conservation and the role of women in conserving the species of plants and animals, and various useful microorganisms in soil and ecosystem. Women enthusiastically participated in the group activities and shared their valuable knowledge about various local species of plants and their nutritional and health benefits as well as their medicinal properties.

Mrs. Anuradha Phadare, Nutritional Expert explained the health issues experienced by women and the importance of a balanced diet as a solution for women and their family members. She further explained how diversity in food helps to improve one’s health. She also mentioned recipes for nutritional food so that women can easily add a variety of food items to their daily diet.

The health camp was also organized as part of the FSA certification for women farmers in each training. Dr. Manju, Heath Practitioner also talked about good health practices with the participants. Participants were keen to work on conserving biodiversity by developing kitchen gardens, using intercropping, and mixed cropping as well as maintaining diversity in farms which will enable them to inculcate diverse food in their diets.

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About the project

The ‘Enhancement of Smallholder Spice Farmer’s Capacities in Sustainable Farming’ aims to strengthen the production of cardamom, cumin, and turmeric in four states of India - Kerala Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Rajasthan - to increase the capacities of spice farmers to make production practices more economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable.

The project is part of the develoPPP.de Programme implemented by GIZ on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The lead executing agency for this project is AVT McCormick. develop.PPP was set up by BMZ to involve the private sector in areas where business opportunities and development policy initiatives overlap. Read More

For more information contact: biodiv.india@giz.de