Food Governance

Abstract:  This presentation will provide an overview of India’s dairy policy before analysing some of the implications of these policies on the pastoralists of Gujarat State, India, with particular focus on women pastoralists.  The case will be made that on the basis of mounting ecological and economic data, dairy policy in India needs to consider pastoralist management systems and livelihoods and develop appropriate policies and programmes to support them.  While the programmes have created important opportunities for increased earning potential for pastoralists, they have also lead to negative consequences for food security, traditional livelihoods and livestock diversity. A recognizable neoliberal turn in Indian dairy policy will most likely amplify negative impacts of the previous programme and potentially compromise existing best practices. The talk concludes with policy recommendations and a call to ground future policy processes with the normative and analytical right to adequate food framework.

You can review the presentation here: Dairy Policy and Pastoralists in Gujarat