Platform for African – European Partnership in Agricultural Research for Development

Wednesday, July 1, 2026

NUS in Odisha: Strategies for Revival, Conservation, and Promotion

1 July 2026. "Forgotten Foods: Strategies for Revival, Conservation, and Promotion to Strengthen Nutritional Security and Climate Resilience in Odisha."
  • Traditional and underutilized foods such as millets, legumes, tubers, indigenous greens, and other local crop varieties are rich in nutrients, resilient to changing climatic conditions, and deeply embedded in our cultural heritage. Reviving these forgotten foods can play a significant role in enhancing nutrition, conserving agrobiodiversity, and strengthening sustainable food systems.
  • This webinar brought together 130 online participants: experts, researchers, practitioners, and community representatives to share experiences, innovations, and strategies for conserving, promoting, and scaling up forgotten foods.
The discussions focused on community-led conservation efforts, seed systems, nutritional and ecological significance of traditional foods, value addition, market opportunities, and pathways for wider adoption and policy support.
  • Importance of forgotten foods for nutrition and climate resilience.
  • Documentation and conservation of crop biodiversity.
  • Community-led seed systems and traditional knowledge.
  • Success stories and best practices from the field.
  • Vision and strategy for mainstreaming forgotten food initiatives.

The webinar invitation and concept note

  • Mr. Anshuman Das, Lead Expert - Agroecology and Food Systems, WHH - Challenges in promotion of landscape based farming systems with respect to forgotten foods - A comparative experience from Odisha and across India.
  • Padma Shri Sabarmatee, Secretary and Co Founder, Sambhav - Methodology for Germplasm Conservation & Varietal Mapping & its importance
  • Mr. Dinesh Balam, Head - Food Systems, AI and Regenerative Agriculture, ISB 
    Strategy and Vision for Reviving of Forgotten Foods

    Dinesh referred to GFAiR's South-South Forgotten Foods Consortium ([Collective Action]

  • Mrs. Bhagya Laxmi, Associate Director, WASSAN - Why ! Community led seed system for neglected crops
  • Dr. Oliver King, Director- Biodiversity, MSSRF - Success Stories: Community conservation & upscaling of Forgotten Food & Neglected Crops

    Oliver referred to the Manifesto on Forgotten Foods spearheaded by GFAR/GFAiR

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