The agriculture issues today are not limited to farmers’ debts, suicides and the many unclear farm policies. The agri sector now comprises the food industry, the latest growth and reach of the global food business companies and their organised lobbying power.
A new and shadowy global industry and its harmful roles in shaping consumers’ dilemmas. The food safety legislation? How it is working? Who is the minister in charge and what the government has achieved so far?
The stunted children and their unbelievable numbers and the related health issues a real grim stories. Here are some reflections. Beware parents and health policy experts!
Save Indian children from the many obesity related processed foods! Food processing industry issues! Only parents’ awareness can help! Fight the obesity and other health related food products sales!
You see, agriculture is nowadays more and more are related to the food industry and food processing sector Big global companies like coke and pepsi grows more and more stronger After all business is business and profits would drive all companies. There are now more and more new issues, issues that are not apparent at the first instance and only when you get into the nitty-gritty of how the global companies operate and how food giants like McDonalds and Kellogg’s Now, it is widely alleged and reported in the media, not just inside India but also outside that there are international level bodies, that are not funded by governments but by industry bodies that are also becoming fatter and fatter.
There are many consequences, as one can see from the surface itself. Those who have got funds from outside ,why even inside India, bodies like Nutrition Institute of India and even others like the one we have just now heard of, International Life Science Institute(ILSI),it was created by a top Coca Cola executive, it is said to have acted as a powerful lobby to influence polices that could help the increase of profits for various processed foods and drinks that directly and indirectly affect the children’s health and contribute to obesity, a menace now in the world for the younger generation.
When the government of India wanted to introduce the labeling of new foods and food ingredients, they chose a person who was none other than old executives of these large corporations. All the big namnes, nutritionists and executive are here and we restrain naming all here.
From tobacco lobby to now food processing industries and other powerful corporate have joined together and we see today that more and more of these bodies join together and often conduct conferences and also invites anyone who can be of help to attend these conferences, preferably in five star hotels and end up with an expensive lunch as a bonus!
What ails the new generation of youngsters? Junk food in all its manifestations! You see these outlets everywhere, where there is a chance of vulnerability. Even in petrol bunks you see these American outfits!
The ILSI now has branches in 18 countries and in some countries it shares staff and office space, as in China, it is said. In China the institute is supposed to combat the obesity epidemic and related illnesses. In Brazil it is represented on a number of government panels. World level bodies like WHO are also, it is alleged penetrated, by these lobby groups. There is any number of experts, and India is no exception from where a lot of retired food and nutrition experts are recruited. It is alleged. Once you find your way, then it is an open invitation for international travels and once you learnt to speak smoothly then funds is on tap and you can build and organization you name it fancifully and you become an internationals celebrity!
One former director of India’s National Institute of Nutrition is a very much talked about name and such experts advise names like Nestle and, the Japanese food giants Ajinomoto and Italian chocolate maker Ferrero. These experts lecture on the benefits of artificial sweetener and genetically modified crops! The ILSI positions are said to be unpaid but their activities are funded otherwise with all-expense paid travel to meetings around the world. Last year when the Indian government needed a name to lead a Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, it selected the very same person who had been allege3ed to have served similar bodies and also advised Indian government.
Also the very same persons advised the pros and cons of genetically modified mustard plants.
So, there are more insidious activities that might not come out, certainly not in the already much feared Indian media but at least in some leakages through word of mouth. But the present state of affairs in the much highly sensitive area of children’s health and food safety and food standards when India is poised to receive much more big bangs so to say in the field of processed foods and artificial sweeteners, there is a cry for government publicity to help save the innocent people to fall for artificial ingredients and dangerous sales, marketing strategies.