TNN | Nov 12, 2013, 07.57AM IST
Sam Pitroda, chairman of the National Innovation Council and advisor to the PM on public information infrastructure, is also a member on the governing board of the India Food Banking Network. In town for the launch of the food bank, he spoke to TOI about the tradition, challenges and future of food banking in India. Excerpts
Can you explain the concept of food banking, especially in the context of India?
In India, there has been a great tradition of donating food, but it is based on religion, and we have to change this. It shouldn't matter who that person is or from what religion. As long as the person is hungry, it should be my responsibility to feed him. So if the community takes the responsibility to feed the hungry, I think we'll be able to address this problem. As you know we have the largest number of hungry people in the world, 220 million to be exact. And we have surplus food. Food is rotting, because we don't have the logistics. So a food banking network has a lot to do with information - where is the food, how much food, who needs it, and so on. And that's where my personal interest comes from. I spent most of my life in democratizing information. I don't know anything about food. But I know that with the right information, we can get food to the hungry. And with food banking, the main idea is to get the community to take charge.
There's a perception that food banks belong in rural areas.
There are lots of hungry people in urban areas. Sometimes more than even in rural areas. Because in rural areas, people take care of each other. In urban areas, you get lost. If a fellow from Bihar comes to work here, he's just lost in this jungle, doesn't know where to go. So, contrary to what many may think, there are lots of hungry people in Gurgaon and Delhi.
What are the difficulties of implementing a food-bank network in a federal system of governance such as ours?
First, it's really about people's mindset. I don't think governments come into the picture. If the community wants to take charge, it's the mindset that matters. Although there's one key thing that I am trying to do, which is not happening yet. It is to create a law for good Samaritans. In American it's called the 'Good Samaritan law.' So when you donate food in good faith and something happens to me after eating that food, I can't go after you. We need a good Samaritan law.
What's the future of food banking in India? What's your vision?
My vision is to make sure that there is one food bank in every district of the country before I die.
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/gurgaon/India-home-to-most-hungry-people-but-has-surplus-food/articleshow/25617732.cms
Sam Pitroda, chairman of the National Innovation Council and advisor to the PM on public information infrastructure, is also a member on the governing board of the India Food Banking Network. In town for the launch of the food bank, he spoke to TOI about the tradition, challenges and future of food banking in India. Excerpts
Can you explain the concept of food banking, especially in the context of India?
In India, there has been a great tradition of donating food, but it is based on religion, and we have to change this. It shouldn't matter who that person is or from what religion. As long as the person is hungry, it should be my responsibility to feed him. So if the community takes the responsibility to feed the hungry, I think we'll be able to address this problem. As you know we have the largest number of hungry people in the world, 220 million to be exact. And we have surplus food. Food is rotting, because we don't have the logistics. So a food banking network has a lot to do with information - where is the food, how much food, who needs it, and so on. And that's where my personal interest comes from. I spent most of my life in democratizing information. I don't know anything about food. But I know that with the right information, we can get food to the hungry. And with food banking, the main idea is to get the community to take charge.
There's a perception that food banks belong in rural areas.
There are lots of hungry people in urban areas. Sometimes more than even in rural areas. Because in rural areas, people take care of each other. In urban areas, you get lost. If a fellow from Bihar comes to work here, he's just lost in this jungle, doesn't know where to go. So, contrary to what many may think, there are lots of hungry people in Gurgaon and Delhi.
What are the difficulties of implementing a food-bank network in a federal system of governance such as ours?
First, it's really about people's mindset. I don't think governments come into the picture. If the community wants to take charge, it's the mindset that matters. Although there's one key thing that I am trying to do, which is not happening yet. It is to create a law for good Samaritans. In American it's called the 'Good Samaritan law.' So when you donate food in good faith and something happens to me after eating that food, I can't go after you. We need a good Samaritan law.
What's the future of food banking in India? What's your vision?
My vision is to make sure that there is one food bank in every district of the country before I die.
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/gurgaon/India-home-to-most-hungry-people-but-has-surplus-food/articleshow/25617732.cms
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