Right to Food Security

	Women in a village with foodgrains in bags
	A farmer with in his field

Because of continued and frequent spells of drought, food security of a vast population in Bundelkhand region is always at stake. This has prompted Parmarth to take up people’s right to food security. This work is addressing food insecurity of the poor and marginalised communities.

This is being done through formation and strengthening of grain banks, on the basis of certain pre-determined criteria:

• Level of backwardness of the village
• Percentage of people belonging to the SC/ST community
• Prevalence of bonded/landless labour in the village
• Status of food security in the village
• Condition of migration in village

Grain banks are managed and governed by community members. The participating community members contribute 20-25 per cent of their annual produce to grain banks and take the grains when they need the same during lean season. At present 43 grain banks are functional in the intervention area, meeting needs of 645 people during two or three food distress months.

While noting the success of grain banks in providing succour to the people, Parmarth is advocating with government for larger replication of grain bank concept in drought-affected areas as a coping management.

For food security of the landless and poverty-stricken families, Parmarth works towards food security for the landless through Right to Land campaign. As a result of this campaign four landless families have received new pattas (lease) of agricultural land and 67 families having pattas have got actual possession of their land. Another 67 cases of land-based irregularities have been set right.