Pesticides catastrophe: A Emerging issue in Food Safety

Food safety concern involving pesticide residue continue to receives greater attention in Nepal with a recent issue of  90 percent pesticide residue found in veggies sold in kathmandu.

A girl with Tumor growth in India  #No Pesticides    #factivism2014

 The World Health Organization estimates that there are 3 million cases of pesticide poisoning each year and up to 220,000 deaths, primarily in developing countries

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An investigation in kathmandu has reveal that 
187 items of vegetable products and most of the popular vegetables including 
1. Akbare pepper. 
2. bitter gourd. 
3. spinach. 
4. potato. 
5. tomato and green onion carry high amount of pesticides.

Health effect of Pesticides

Short term effect

1.     Abdominal pain, vomiting, as well as skin and eye problems.

2.     Dizziness, loss of appetite and nausea

3.     Diarrhea, sweating and fatigue

4.     Nervousness, changes in mood and insomnia

Long term effect

1.     Brain, kidney, breast, prostate, pancreas, liver cancer

2.     Lungs and skin cancer

3.     Impaired fertility in males

4.    Birth defects, fetal death

Minimizing Pesticide Residues in food general tips

1. Eat wide variety of fruits and vegetables to minimize the potential of increased exposure to a single pesticide.
2. peel fruits and vegetables when possible.
3. Thoroughly wash all produce even to those that which you plan to peel.
4. Wash your produce under running water rather than soaking it.
5. Dry produce with a clean cloth towel or paper towel when possible.
6. Remove the outer layer of fruits and vegetable like melons and root vegetables
7. Discard the outer layer of leafy vegetables, such as lettuce or cabbage.

+ashim sigdel  is a Student of  food science and Technology at Pokhara Bigyan Tatha Prabidhi Campus. He is an Youth activist working on Food Security & Safety for Prosperity.

Nepal Social Business; joint venture of CG NSB and Lions Club International

Nepal Social Business is first of its kind initiative in Nepal where social business’s seven principles coined by Noble Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus is being implemented. It is a joint initiative of Chaudhary Group’s CG NSB and Lions Clubs International. Nepal Social Business aims to address social issues faced by our nation through social business. Its mission is to help social businesses to grow in Nepal, which solves social problems while at the same time is self-sustaining and with the potential to grow and scale itself.

Core activities of NSB will be to do awareness, incubation and funding. Awareness will be to spread concept of social business. In incubation we will do trainings, mentoring and expert consultations. After incubation they will invest in the concept that will be developed into Social Business Plans. They will invest into the best social business ideas and help them to grow.

Social issues faced by society are getting more complex and dynamic that they cannot be addressed solely by governments and traditional social-sector organizations. Social business is a new approach which applies social business principles to address social issues in economically sustainable manner. Social Business is a combination of a NGO and a business. It has a social objective similar to a NGO and it is financially sustainable like a business. According to Professor Yunus, the father of social business, it is a financially sustainable organization solely to solve social problem. Whereas, original investment may be recouped, all potential profits and interest are reinvested to further improve and diversify the social impact. For countries like Nepal which are highly depended on donor funds, social businesses can become a change for sustainable as well as socially fair development. With its focus on social impact and sustainability NSB believes that through creation of social business we can accelerate the development of Nepal and solve our pressing social needs. The projects pass through various committees: Social Impact Assessment (SIA) Committee, Incubation Committee and Investment Committee. The independent SIA Committee will do detail assessment of the proposed concept after they have been incubated. They will look at for some detail information on how the social impact will be made through this social business and how significance is the impact. After the approval from this committee it will be presented to Investment Committee.

Chaudhary Group started its partnership with Yunus Center in December 2012 to implement social business in Nepal in form of CGNSB. In July 2014 during Lions Clubs International Convention in Toronto, CG Nepal Social Business (CGNSB) and LCIF signed official partnership and formed Nepal Social Business.

They have started incubation of four Pilot Projects in Jumla. Four projects are:

1.      Karnali Miteri Udhyog – Porridge Factory to address Malutrition

2.      Tatopani Ecotourism – Ecotourism development at Tatopani VDC for environmental management and support livelihood

3.      Organic Phaphul Tatha Khadhya Prasodhan – Industry to collect, process and market local organics fruits and vegetables to promote healthy living and support livelihood.

4.      Miteri Shanti Batika – Learning and Peace Center to involve youth and to organize social activities with multipurpose hall, yoga hall, library etc.

When watching live event of World's Largest National Human Flag

23rd August ,2014,Saturday was one of the historical moments. The crowd of more than 35,000 Nepalese united to set Guinness World Record on Largest National Human Flag on Earth organized by Human Values for Peace and Prosperity(HVPP).

 Though I could not participate, I was feeling proud and excited watching the program live at Tundikhel.(I was there as a media person covering news,taking interviews so could not take part though I had registered my name.) So many emotions were flowing within me while watching the whole event.

As rainy weather early morning makes people lazy to go outside, I thought there will be less crowd. Surprisingly, more than expected people participated. When I was travelling at public bus to reach Tundikhel at 5:30 am, almost every local bus of Buspark route was crowded.Majority of them wanted to reach same destination i.e, Tundikhel for this huge event.

Almost all of them were teens and youths. I could see very few old people. The queue of participants to enter Tudikhel was so long yet the patience and positive energy was amazing. There was no any news of fight,injury or any accident. However, some of them were taken to hospital,some fainted due to weakness and lack of glucose in the body.

The volunteers and organizers were busy managing the event.They had the toughest job of all managing the crowd  to form the shape of Flag and preparing every other facilities. However, the cooperation of participants, their enthusiasm and energy to make the event successful must have motivated the spirit of volunteers and organizers.

It is not easy for participants mainly those with school dress. Standing for almost 5 hours early in the morning without food must have tired them. However, they were excited,happy and proud to be part of the event.

To all of the mass of people present at Tundikhel for this auspicious event, the best moment was wheneveryone was ready in their position and waiting for the arrival of helicopter. When helicopter arrived and our national anthem was played, that was the best moment. Everyone must have felt goosebumps, respect and love of the country and proud. Though I was away from the crowd, I was feeling the same.

This event holds the message of our unity under the symbol of our national flag. Finally, all was saying "WE DID IT!!". Many had tears in their eyes. Most of them took the part of flag they were holding with them while returning back to home as a piece of memo. Even I took of the part a home. :D

Those youths and citizens of Nepal who are living abroad might have missed Nepal so much and they might have wished they were in Nepal to be in this historical event. All thanks to technology and media that they were able to watch photos and videos. :)

We all know bad things disseminate fast. Many complained about the trash that were on ground after theevent and judge people's opinion accordingly without patience to wait for full results. However, it was cleaned afterwards. Furthermore, uniformity in everyone's behavior cannot be expected.To those who were saying trash was not cleaned up, why didn't they came to clean as this is everyone's duty?

No matter what, we know every coin has two sides. The main thing is being optimistic. Youths are the future of tomorrow. They are the pillars of nation. They showed their love towards Nepal and their act to save Nepal's unity and represent Nepal in the world through the symbol of flag in this event.

Moreover, to those political leaders who want to divide Nepal, this is also an example to them that anything is possible when youths unite.

At last, opinions differ from each individuals. This was my opinion and many might like it, many might not. Whatever it is we love our country and yesterday was very proud moment for us!

Alina Prajapati is a management student doing her bachelor studies. She is working as a Project Team Leader at View Your Choice and journalist at Glocalkhabar.com . Alina is also a passionate singer.
Email: alina.vyc@gmail.com / alinaprajapati@gmail.com
Facebook: alina_pj@hotmail.com
Twitter: @alinapj