Reviving Indigenous Food Practices for Nutrition Security and Women's Health: A Medical Anthropological Study in Southern Rajasthan

This talk explores the revival of indigenous food practices in southern Rajasthan and their impact on nutrition security and women's health. Drawing on medical anthropological fieldwork, it highlights how traditional diets are deeply rooted in ecological knowledge and cultural values. The study examines the consequences of shifting from indigenous to market-based food systems. It also emphasizes the gendered dimensions of food practices, particularly in relation to women's roles in preserving and transmitting culinary traditions. The presentation engages with issues of food sovereignty, health disparities, and cultural resilience. Ultimately, it advocates for integrating indigenous knowledge into public health and nutrition strategies.

Dr. Varsha Tanu is an Associate Professor at IIHMR University, Jaipur. She teaches and mentors students in Health Management and Development Studies,  her work spans public health, gender studies, disaster resilience, and community-based program design and implementation. She is a visiting faculty at the School of Gender Studies (HCM RIPA) and Rajasthan University of Health Sciences. She is Principal Investigator for two ongoing field-based implementation research projects on climate-resilient food systems and mining-related health impacts in tribal Rajasthan.