REVIVING RURAL LINKS-VIA FARM TOURISM!

One wonders how many kids in the metros and urban agglomerates would have seen a poultry farm or a dairy farm or an agricultural farm which are all rural phenomena far away from the cities where they are born and brought up. Some have family ties to relatives in their native places and make visits once an year or two getting exposed to some aspects of rural living. Vacations are invariably associated with visits to scenic places, wild life sanctuaries, historical places, religious locations, trekking adventures etc and tourism peaks during the summer holidays when families can go together for relaxation and enjoyment. But farm tourism has never been heard in India and it is assumed that the urban elites would not be comfortable, safe or immune from infectious diseases in a rural environment.

In Europe there is still some sort of linkage with rural back yards and farm tourism is an accepted practice. But in the US only form of rural link is through day time visits to orchards, farms, poultry farms, cattle ranches where one can experience the thrill of plucking a fruit, picking a vegetable or milking a goat."In a world where small farmers need to diversify to keep their fields afloat and city dwellers are more desperate than ever to learn where their food comes from, a "haycation" for about the price of a nice hotel room in Manhattan didn't seem like such a far-fetched idea". People in that country are getting tuned to a different type of tourism where a whole family can go and stay with a rural family, enjoying their hospitality, learning about their daily routines, dynamics of farm operations and above all feel the serene tranquility that pervades rural areas. Of course all these for a stiff price which can put off many families, especially during current times of economic distress. But there will be sufficient takers with plenty of cash to spare that will help the hard pressed rural families.

Probably India is ripe for development of farm food tourism on similar lines to tourism linked to snow, rains, boating, etc and an helpful and proactive policy by the governments in the states can give a fillip to such programs. What is needed is a guarantee that tourists will be safe and the farm environment is hygienic. Imagine the potential for such a project in India which literally lives in diversity offering a wide panorama choices to the urban families. A few days' stay in a farm can rejuvenate the stressed out families from the towns and cities, besides educating them about the existence of a vibrant India which really thrives in the rural backyards of the country with distinct cultures and traditions.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

TEMPERATURE MONITORING-WIRELESS MODE

Temperature status of a system is a critical hazard point under HACCP regime and uneven fluctuations or variations out side the preset limits can cause immense damage to the ultimate quality of the end product. This is especially true when it comes to cold storage and freezer storage units. In an industry with storage structures located at multi points temperature monitoring can pose a logistical problem and monitoring and coordination may pose a daunting challenge. The storage life with regard to raw as well as processed foods is influenced by the temperature at which they are held and only a reliable monitoring and recording system can ensure that they are held at the specific temperature range for the required time without compromise.   

Recent introduction of a wireless system for temperature monitoring is bound to be useful to many food industry dealing with perishables and frozen foods. According to the manufacturers  the device with highly responsive sensors can do efficient temperature monitoring at different points, located at distant places. "An advanced dashboard allows the monitoring of the entire district or organization from a single, easily operated screen. The dashboard can be organized by location, type of equipment or both. With a single click one can review in depth any alert and its actual status, reconfigure any sensor or group of sensors, and generate any report and much more".

Though frozen food industry in India is in a nascent stage of development, the existing cold storage plants can make use of these gadgets to ensure fail-safe functioning of these plants and guarantee the quality of stored products. Low temperature transport containers which ferry the products to different sale points can also be fitted with wireless model temperature monitors to prevent negligence by the carriers.

 

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

AFRICAN TRIBULATIONS- FOOD SECURITY UNDER THREAT

African continent is less fortunate compared to Asia in terms of technological up-gradation of the agricultural activities and nothing short of a Green Revolution that saved Asia during sixties and seventies of last millennium from famine and starvation, can revive its fortunes. The grain yield is less than one third of that achieved by Asian farmers. It is an undeniable fact that 75% of world's ultra poor people live in Africa and the demand for food far outstrips domestic food supply. In 1970 most countries there were net exporters of food while to day many of them have become perpetual food importers.

Piling on this misery crop diseases are taking their own toll. "The banana bunch top viral disease, one of the world's most invasive, has established itself in half of the banana-growing regions of sub-Saharan Africa, worsening food insecurity for 30 million people on the continent whose primary source of food is the banana". Uganda, the country most affected, finds itself in a corner as it depends heavily on Banana to sustain its economy. Similarly 12 countries in the sub-Saharan Africa are reeling under the onslaught of Banana Wilt Disease. In Kenya the devastating dry spell is casting gloom all around with fast deteriorating living conditions calling for massive international assistance. "The World Food Program (WFP) feels that 3.8 million Kenyans need emergency food supplies amid a devastating dry spell that is failing crops, emaciating animals, emptying taps and causing electrical blackouts in urban and rural Kenya"

Though India is also under pressure in the agricultural front due to the erratic monsoon season affecting food production causing steep increase in prices of many commodities, going to the socour of our poor brethren in Africa through some gestures in the form aid will have great impact. With generous subsidies being showered upon Indian farmers, GOI must consider helping the unfortunate countries in the Africa at this time of distress.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

TAKING ON THE GIANT-"PROXIMITY' FOODS

Food industry is a multi billion dollar business with many corporate giants of transnational background dominating the field, though small scale players also have a little slice of the pie. If one watches some of the recent documentary films like Food Inc., The Future of Food, Killer at Large, King Corn etc, the darker side of organized food industry can be seen creating revulsion and hostility towards some of them in the forefront indulging in detestable and unconscionable activities. That does not mean the whole sector has to be condemned since there are many enlightened corporates caring for the sentiments of the consumer.

Origin of the local foods movement or the more recently promoted terminology,'locavore' movement can be traced to the indifferent and insensitive attitude of the modern food sector to the expectations and aspirations of millions of consumers who provide their "bread and butter. "This "locavore" movement is tiny relative to the multi-billion dollar food industry, but its marketing appeal has become so powerful that it's grabbed the industry's attention nonetheless. It's the new "going green." Earlier this year, Frito-Lay launched a "Lay's Local" marketing campaign highlighting the local farmers who grow potatoes for their chips. Go to any grocery store and you're likely to find signs that boast of a product's proximity".

The million dollar question is whether the euphoria about locovore movement can be sustained or whether on a global basis it is feasible. Sky gardens, garden on each floor in multi story buildings, suburban cultivation, partnership growing are all being attempted but what impact it can make to satisfy the food needs of growing population in this planet remains to be seen. The experience vis-à-vis organic foods is there to guide us and locovore movement also is likely to meet the same fate.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

OATS-AN OVERHYPED FOOD?

Oats, by virtue of the presence of the soluble fiber, beta glucan and low saturated fat has been cleared for making claims about its potential to reduce risk of heart diseases. Pepsico's Quaker Oats Company used to include on the label that it can give guarantee for reducing cholesterol if consumed at the level recommended by them within 30 days. But the manufacturer seems to have carried away by the response from the consumers and started making grossly exaggerated claims which have come to haunt the company

Taken to the courts for these unsubstantiated claims, it sought to settle the case by agreeing that "Quaker will no longer describe its oatmeal as a "unique" whole grain food that "actively finds" cholesterol and removes it from the body, and will no longer display a graph that greatly exaggerated the cholesterol-lowering potential of oatmeal. Under current FDA regulations, products low in saturated fat and cholesterol and high in soluble fiber are able to claim that they reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. The fiber contained in whole oat is called beta-glucan soluble fiber, and is found in oat bran, rolled oats and whole oat flour".

It is amazing how industry giants can influence the decisions by the regulatory bodies like FDA, as reflected by the clearance being given to oats with even higher fat content than hitherto permitted to make the same claim!. A look at the studies on cholesterol bashing power of oats, brings out the stark reality that most of the studies were of limited duration not exceeding 8 weeks, the decrease is not dramatic achieving about 3-5% reduction in total cholesterol, the daily consumption has to be above 60 gm and there is no proof it can go down further by prolonged consumption. Of course there is no denying the fact that regular consumption of oats may not do any harm.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES-IT IS "ALGAL" TIME!

There was a time in the recent past when Algal sources were considered as high quality nutraceutical materials containing many miracle health boosting chemical molecules. Before that, single cell proteins (SCP) were promoted in a big way for overcoming protein deficiency amongst poor populations in the world. Though Spirulina is still a big business even now, the initial aura is giving away to more realism and the growth of the industry is not some thing to crow about. However algae as a source of biofuel is receiving increased attention from the existing fossil fuel dealers as well as government bodies for its high yield potential compared to other sources like corn, soy or palm oil.

The lure of high returns eventually and the global warming threat from fossil fuels are driving almost all major fuel companies to algae. "After years of quietly building steam, the algae industry has recently received major, attention-grabbing investments from Exxon Mobil Corp. and Dow Chemical Co. And the industry is starting to find support in Congress with proposals that would provide it tax credits and other incentives gaining bipartisan support". The new administration in the US has given highest priority to alternate energy programs with the avowed objective of reducing dependence on imported oils.

The supporters of algae as a cheap source of biofuel cites the yield potential of this organism, which is 20 to 200 times greater compared to fuels from plant sources and factoring the cost of growing and processing, it is expected that algal biofuel might cost about $30-80 a barrel and if a tax incentive regime is put in place, it may cost even less. According the present projections, a 25 acre plot of land can produce 100 million gallons of biofuel an year and if the present trend of phasing out plant based biofuels continues, algae may become the most accepted route for future renewable energy supplies.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

SCHOOL LUNCH-A REFOCUS NEEDED

The midday school program in India is one of the biggest social welfare projects in the world and reviews from time to time have brought out the stark reality about the unsatisfactory performance and less than optimum results achieved, in spite of massive public spending incurred by the country. In the US, the federal government spends about $ 2.68 (Rs 125) a day on each kid out of which the overhead expenses account for more than 65%! Compared to this, a 'princely' sum of Rs 2 per kid per day is spent in India and one can only guess what would be the 'managerial' cost in this budget which does not reach the beneficiary. The budget for 2009-10 provides Rs 8000 crore for covering 105 million children.

During the last few years many school districts in the US brought about policy changes to restrict availability of the so called junk foods in the school premises with some salutary effect."The U.S. government pays much of the bill for school food. Efforts to replace the processed and nutrition-poor foods still on many student lunch trays come with a higher price tag that many schools cannot afford. Businesses can help close the gap".

The $ 9 billion (Rs 45000 crore) outlay for school lunches in the US is not supposed to be adequate and private industry and foundations are pitching in with a view to make the lunch menu more nutritious, though such changes tend to raise the cost significantly. Many experts believe that by focusing on kids' meals by changing the nutritional quality, a country like the US can save significantly on the present annual outgo of $147 billion, being spent currently for treating obesity related illnesses in that country. Can it be true in India also? Though the gross Indian figures on expenditure are very impressive, the moot question is how many beneficiaries are really benefited by the program, with unreliable delivery system and corrupt managerial set up? A radical rethinking is called for, if 'deserving' beneficiaries are to get 'real' benefits out of the public funds funneled into this project.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

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