Church is not only concern with food for the soul but the body too: Jingiaseng Samla Shangpung Presbytery

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJanuary 19, 2020

JOWAI: This perhaps is the first time ever when the church organisation also include workshop on food on its program, the church therefore is not only concern with feeding its flock with the food of the soul but the body too. Jingïaseng Samla Presbyterian Church Shangpung Presbytery in collaboration with North East Slow food and Agrobiodiversity Society, Shillong and the Society for Urban and Rural Empowerment, Jowai has embarked on a new mission when it has include a workshop on Indigenous Food System in its otherwise busy schedule. The workshop was a brainchild of Shibor Nongjngi Secretary of the Jingiaseng Samla Presbyterian Church, Shangpung Presbytery who had invited the two organisations to conduct the workshop.

The one day workshop was organised by the Art and Culture Committee of the Jingiaseng Samla Presbyterian Shangpung Presbytery on January 18, 2020 at the Presbyterian Church, Thangrain, West Jaiñtia Hills District. Two staffs one each from Pasqualina Lamare from SURE and Cratia Dkhar NESFAS jointly shared the presentation on the threat to the agrobiodiversity which was caused by the changing dietary habit of the people, which in turn also has its impact on the environment, health of the people and their livelihood.

They also shared with the participant guidelines of household dietary diversity and emphasis was made on the importance of consuming of at least five of the ten food groups for a healthy and a balance diet. The nutritive comparison of common vegetables and the traditional food crops showing the higher nutrient content of the local food was also discussed in the workshop. Food sovereignty is a key to safeguarding our traditional food, the six pillars of food sovereignty was highlighted and the role of the youth contributing in strengthening those pillar by valuing our indigenous food system.

This was followed by a cooking demonstration of four food items using local sourced ingredients like ja-pathaw saw, ja-pathaw lieh bad dohsniang nei iong, jhur thliem bakhleh bad kynbat maloi, dhania khlaw, sohbaingon dieng and neilieh. The youths from different church appreciated the work done in protecting and promoting Indigenous Food System and said that they have learned alot from the workshop.