Deadline: 1 August 2011
Food Security Essay Competition 2011 organized by Global Citizens for Sustainable Development and Oxfam India
Essay Theme: Bridging the imperative link between Food security & Sustainability in India
Important dates
The world is presently faced with unprecedented numbers of people suffering from hunger and malnutrition, with more than a billion people going hungry every night; 250 million are from India alone. Despite significant economic growth in the country since liberalization in the early 90’s, these numbers continue to grow with rural and poorer sections suffering the brunt of poorly designed social protection schemes. The current situation is summed up by IFPRIs Global Hunger Index, which ranks India at an ‘alarming’ 67, where as its Asian competitor, China, is placed at a ‘moderate’ 9. The government has responded through a variety of policies and programmes for achieving food security. Public distribution system (PDS) to provide essential grains at reasonable prices and the more recent draft of the National Food Security Act (NFSA) to provide basic right to food for all, are all steps in this direction. Yet, in this era of climate change and unsustainable growth, achieving food security goes above and beyond strategies that only meet the current demand. ‘Security’ also connotes safety for consumers and the environment, now and in the future. A sustainable way of addressing this issue will be to ensure ‘enough food for everyone at present and the ability to provide enough in the future as well’. As with energy and water, food security cannot come at the expense of the environment, which must be an integral part of future strategies and policies. Also, there is a clear need to consider natural resource bases such as land, water, flora, fauna, forests and biodiversity which are ‘the ecological foundations’ essential for sustainable food security.
With this as a backdrop, we encourage youth to explore, in no more than 2000 words, initiatives that encompass the core principles of sustainable food security; to suggest innovative alternatives to the current food systems and share their vision of a sustainable and food secure future for India. This essay competition seeks to get ideas, proposals and solutions that will work for India in its march towards sustainable growth and find ways to inspire other young people to be part of bringing about ‘the Change’ they want to see locally, nationally and regionally.
Through your essay try and address the following -
1. While exploring the concepts of ‘food security’ and ‘sustainability’, identify and briefly present the opportunities that exist for linking the two concepts through practical examples, technologies & alternative systems.
2. As a youth with myriad ideas for the future, suggest creative solutions for India’s Sustainable food security.
3. In your view, what can young people, working with their peers, community, local authorities and municipalities do in a move towards sustainable food systems?
4. We encourage you to look at one of the themes of the Global Citizens Youth Assembly 2011: ‘Green Economy in the context of poverty reduction and sustainable development’ as an overarching/guiding theme for the essay.
Global Citizens for Sustainable Development and Global Citizens Youth Assembly 2011
Global Citizens for Sustainable Development creates a platform for children, youth, men and women motivated to bring a positive change at a personal, social and ecological level in their environment and society for the progress of humanity. As part of its activities, it aims to conduct the Global Citizens Youth Assembly annually, since 2010.
The Global Citizens Youth Assembly 2011 will bring together 1,000 young activists and social change makers from around the world between the 18th and 20th of August, 2011. These youth will be passionate about issues like climate change, global environmental degradation, peace and conflict resolution, poverty, education, and employment. The Assembly will provide a platform for youth to engage in positive dialogue with their peers from all around the world. The 3 key themes of this year's Assembly are -
• Green Economy in the context of poverty eradication and sustainable development: this is the theme of the upcoming UN conference on Sustainable Development in Brazil. As a follow up to this meeting, the Global Citizens Youth Assembly 2011 will foucs on its outcomes and discuss the link between economy and the environment
• Role of Media for Social change: this theme will address the strong need to catalyze media action towards sustainable development
• Role of youth in achieving the Millennium Development Goals
As the Organizer of the Food Security Essay Competition 2011, Global Citizens for Sustainable Development want to ensure that these proposals shape into action-oriented programmes. Last year, this was achieved through the Campus Climate Champions Competition 2010 and this year, through the Bangalore MDGs Champion 2011.
Essay Guidelines
1. The Essay Competition is open to all young people, students and non-students alike, between the ages of 18 and 30, across India. (for proof of age, all participants must submit the first page of their passport/driving license copy by email)
2. Essays should be typewritten and be no more than 2,000 words.
3. Essays must have a cover page indicating, essay title; name of author, postal address, telephone number, e-mail address(s), sex and age as of August 18, 2011.
4. All essays must be submitted by e-mail in PDF or MS Word format, with the cover page and essay sent together as one document in English to youthassembly@globalcitizens.org.in with the subject as ‘Food Security Essay Competition 2011’.
5. Essays must be written by a single person. Co-authored essays will be disqualified. Essays must be original and unpublished.
Awards
Contact Information:
For inquiries: youthassembly@globalcitizens.org.in
For submissions: youthassembly@globalcitizens.org.in
Website: http://www.globalcitizens.org.in
Food Security Essay Competition 2011 organized by Global Citizens for Sustainable Development and Oxfam India
Essay Theme: Bridging the imperative link between Food security & Sustainability in India
Important dates
- August 1st, 2011 - Deadline for submissions
- August 5th, 2011 - 3 Finalist will be announced, Jury to decide the winners
- August 19th, 2011 - Award Ceremony at the Closing Session of the Global Citizens Youth Assembly 2011
The world is presently faced with unprecedented numbers of people suffering from hunger and malnutrition, with more than a billion people going hungry every night; 250 million are from India alone. Despite significant economic growth in the country since liberalization in the early 90’s, these numbers continue to grow with rural and poorer sections suffering the brunt of poorly designed social protection schemes. The current situation is summed up by IFPRIs Global Hunger Index, which ranks India at an ‘alarming’ 67, where as its Asian competitor, China, is placed at a ‘moderate’ 9. The government has responded through a variety of policies and programmes for achieving food security. Public distribution system (PDS) to provide essential grains at reasonable prices and the more recent draft of the National Food Security Act (NFSA) to provide basic right to food for all, are all steps in this direction. Yet, in this era of climate change and unsustainable growth, achieving food security goes above and beyond strategies that only meet the current demand. ‘Security’ also connotes safety for consumers and the environment, now and in the future. A sustainable way of addressing this issue will be to ensure ‘enough food for everyone at present and the ability to provide enough in the future as well’. As with energy and water, food security cannot come at the expense of the environment, which must be an integral part of future strategies and policies. Also, there is a clear need to consider natural resource bases such as land, water, flora, fauna, forests and biodiversity which are ‘the ecological foundations’ essential for sustainable food security.
With this as a backdrop, we encourage youth to explore, in no more than 2000 words, initiatives that encompass the core principles of sustainable food security; to suggest innovative alternatives to the current food systems and share their vision of a sustainable and food secure future for India. This essay competition seeks to get ideas, proposals and solutions that will work for India in its march towards sustainable growth and find ways to inspire other young people to be part of bringing about ‘the Change’ they want to see locally, nationally and regionally.
Through your essay try and address the following -
1. While exploring the concepts of ‘food security’ and ‘sustainability’, identify and briefly present the opportunities that exist for linking the two concepts through practical examples, technologies & alternative systems.
2. As a youth with myriad ideas for the future, suggest creative solutions for India’s Sustainable food security.
3. In your view, what can young people, working with their peers, community, local authorities and municipalities do in a move towards sustainable food systems?
4. We encourage you to look at one of the themes of the Global Citizens Youth Assembly 2011: ‘Green Economy in the context of poverty reduction and sustainable development’ as an overarching/guiding theme for the essay.
Global Citizens for Sustainable Development and Global Citizens Youth Assembly 2011
Global Citizens for Sustainable Development creates a platform for children, youth, men and women motivated to bring a positive change at a personal, social and ecological level in their environment and society for the progress of humanity. As part of its activities, it aims to conduct the Global Citizens Youth Assembly annually, since 2010.
The Global Citizens Youth Assembly 2011 will bring together 1,000 young activists and social change makers from around the world between the 18th and 20th of August, 2011. These youth will be passionate about issues like climate change, global environmental degradation, peace and conflict resolution, poverty, education, and employment. The Assembly will provide a platform for youth to engage in positive dialogue with their peers from all around the world. The 3 key themes of this year's Assembly are -
• Green Economy in the context of poverty eradication and sustainable development: this is the theme of the upcoming UN conference on Sustainable Development in Brazil. As a follow up to this meeting, the Global Citizens Youth Assembly 2011 will foucs on its outcomes and discuss the link between economy and the environment
• Role of Media for Social change: this theme will address the strong need to catalyze media action towards sustainable development
• Role of youth in achieving the Millennium Development Goals
As the Organizer of the Food Security Essay Competition 2011, Global Citizens for Sustainable Development want to ensure that these proposals shape into action-oriented programmes. Last year, this was achieved through the Campus Climate Champions Competition 2010 and this year, through the Bangalore MDGs Champion 2011.
Essay Guidelines
1. The Essay Competition is open to all young people, students and non-students alike, between the ages of 18 and 30, across India. (for proof of age, all participants must submit the first page of their passport/driving license copy by email)
2. Essays should be typewritten and be no more than 2,000 words.
3. Essays must have a cover page indicating, essay title; name of author, postal address, telephone number, e-mail address(s), sex and age as of August 18, 2011.
4. All essays must be submitted by e-mail in PDF or MS Word format, with the cover page and essay sent together as one document in English to youthassembly@globalcitizens.org.in with the subject as ‘Food Security Essay Competition 2011’.
5. Essays must be written by a single person. Co-authored essays will be disqualified. Essays must be original and unpublished.
Awards
- 1st Prize: Cash prize of Rs. 5000 and a Roundtrip train ticket to attend the Global Citizens Youth Assembly 2011 (18, 19 & 20th August) in Bangalore, India
- 2nd Prize: Cash prize of Rs. 3000 and a Roundtrip train ticket to attend the Global Citizens Youth Assembly 2011
- 3rd Prize: Cash prize of Rs. 1500 and a Roundtrip train ticket to attend the Global Citizens Youth Assembly 2011
- Winners will also be given the opportunity to present their paper as part of the Assembly’s proceedings.
Contact Information:
For inquiries: youthassembly@globalcitizens.org.in
For submissions: youthassembly@globalcitizens.org.in
Website: http://www.globalcitizens.org.in
