In Delhi last week I spent a couple of hours at an all day Right to Food Campaign meeting. The Campaign (in which some IDS alumni are participating) is aiming to shape the food security/food entitlements act that the Government is working on, by publishing a list of essential demands.
The draft demands fall into two broad sets: one around entitlements to food, in the spirit of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, and one around a set of demands on “food first” production and zero food trade. The negotiations within the Campaign members and with the Government will continue for a long time. Social change does not happen quickly.
But whatever the outcome, the focus, strategic vision and drive of the Campaign leaders was an inspiration.
While in India I had an interesting set of email exchanges with one or two of my IDS colleagues, asking me whether readers of this blog thought it represented IDS views or my own. This has prompted me to add the disclaimer under the picture.
IDS speaks with one voice on its goals and values but we try very hard to celebrate a plurality of ideas and to avoid lowest common denominator group think. So readers should be clear that these are my unguarded thoughts, and not necessarily an IDS corporate position.
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