Koraput, Odisha; September 2017: Learning and sharing through seminars is an integral part of MSSRF’s regular activities. Several of these seminars are also streamed live to the various regional centres and site offices.

Now, a series of special lectures has been initiated right at MSSRF’s Jeypore Centre, in Odisha. The first in the series of lectures featured Dr Prakash Shetty, CEO, LANSA consortium, who visited the centre in September 2017. Dr Shetty delivered a special lecture on Food and Nutrition Security. Defining food security as initially meaning ‘a secure, adequate, and suitable supply of food for everyone’, Dr Shetty spoke of how this has now includes ‘access by all people at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life’.

In the same way, Food Insecurity is when people ‘lack secure access to sufficient amounts of safe and nutritious food for normal growth and development and an active and healthy life’. He explained how nutrition security can probably be defined as ‘adequate nutritional status in terms of protein, energy, vitamins, and minerals for all household members at all times’.

This regional centre of MSSRF is located in the tribal region of Koraput District. A number of scientists are engaged in biodiversity conservation and facilitating more efficient production for farmers in this resource-poor district, besides nutrition-sensitive agriculture. In this context, the series of lectures in a hard-to-reach location provides opportunity for greater direct interaction between scientists and experts.

Dr Oliver King Centre-Head, Mr Akshay Kumar Panda and Mr Sushant, MSSRF scientists spoke briefly during the programme. Over 40 staff and scientists participated in the lecture.