Over 100 experts from both developed and developing economies had worked on the report, and hence the macro-aspect of all economies were taken into consideration.

If someone were to tell you that your food habits are fuelling global warming and slowing the process of curbing the ill-effects of climate change, you would probably feign ignorance, or even laugh out loud at the notion. But if the findings of scientists and climate policy experts are to be believed, consumption of meats, especially red meat and even dairy, is leading greenhouse gas emissions to peak.

As per Skeptical Science, a climate science information resource by Australian cognitive scientist John Cook, animal agriculture is responsible for 13-18% of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions. Even though it is lesser than over 60% emissions caused by fossil fuel combustion, at a time when climate change-fuelled crises are looming large, curtailing global warming caused by our food habits can go a long way in securing the planets future.

Climate policy experts have long been researching on the issue, but the gumption for taking initiatives to combat effects of climate change has grown by leaps recently. A 2019 special report on climate change and land by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concluded that adoption of plant-based diets is a major opportunity for mitigating and adapting to climate change.

Over 100 experts from both developed and developing economies had worked on the report, and hence the macro-aspect of all economies were taken into consideration. We dont want to tell people what to eat, Hans-Otto Prtner, an ecologist who co-chairs the IPCCs working group on impacts, adaptation and vulnerability, had said on the report findings. But it would indeed be beneficial, for both climate and human health, if people in many rich countries consumed less meat, and if politics would create appropriate incentives to that effect, he added.

Another 2018 report published in the journal Nature noted that in western countries, beef consumption needs to decline by as much as 90% and be replaced by five times more beans and pulses to avoid dangerous effects of climate change. Another 2019 report, published in the British medical journal The Lancet, weighed the different side-effects of food production. They included greenhouse gases, water and crop use, nitrogen or phosphorous from fertilisers, and the potential for biodiversity to take a hit should a region be converted into farmland. By managing all these factors, the reports authors say climate change-inducing gases could be reduced and enough land could be reserved to feed the worlds growing population. A group of 30 scientists then worked on devising recommendations for a largely plant-based diet, with small, occasional allowances for meat, dairy, and sugar. Even small increases in the consumption of red meat or dairy foods would make this goal difficult or impossible to achieve, a summary of the report states.

Understanding the food chain and its implications on the environment are key towards getting a wholesome idea of the carbon footprint of animal agriculture. Primarily, intensive livestock-rearing is a major cause of greenhouse gas emissions. Cows and other ruminant animals (like goats and sheep) emit methanea potent greenhouse gasas they digest grasses and plants. Besides, methane is also emitted from manure, and nitrous oxideanother powerful greenhouse gasis released from ruminant wastes on pastures and chemical fertilisers used on crops produced for cattle feed. Rising beef production also requires increasing quantities of land. The creation of new pastureland is often a consequence of massive deforestation. Livestock rearing also diverts water and grains to animals, which is less efficient than directing grains towards human consumption, as noted by experts.

Alternative foods market

This emphasis on vegetarianism and plant-based diets has resulted in the emergence of an entire market producing mock meats and meat substitutes. Major meat companies like Tyson Foods, Cargill, Maple Leaf Foods and Perdue have begun investing in the fast-growing alternative protein market. Mainstream fast-moving consumer goods companies like Hindustan Unilever and Nestl have also introduced, in their overseas market, multiple vegetarian and vegan versions of their signature non-vegetarian and dairy-based products. From vegetarian smoked sausages to non-dairy ice creams and vegan mayo, HUL has had a number of sustainable products launches, while a plethora are in the offering by Unilever Food Solutions, which is working with chefs to create alternate recipes for its major non-vegetarian products. Nestl, on the other hand, has resolved to achieve zero net greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, and has started working towards it by launching plant-based burgers and grounds in the US and Switzerland.

In India, there are several mock meat food brands working towards utilising the goodness of grains and plant-proteins to create healthy and affordable meat alternatives. While the products manufactured by them cannot be deemed healthy as they are machine produced, they certainly serve as healthier alternatives to meats, and contribute towards reducing food-originated carbon footprint. There are other plant-based and vegan food brands that have also come up to add more variety to the burgeoning space.

Udaipur-based GoodDot is one of the first companies to have started working in this domain, back in 2013. From 2013-2017 they undertook extensive research and development initiatives to come up with safe alternatives to meats, driven by their underlying motive to work towards preventing animal cruelty. Started by brother-sister duo Abhishek Sinha and Shruti Sonali, Good Dot makes meat alternatives out of soy, wheat and pea protein. They officially started manufacturing and marketing products 2017 onward. Weve always had some kind of affinity towards animals, and when my father got diagnosed with a heart condition, we discovered that adopting a vegetarian lifestyle would be much better, recalls Sonali about the inception of the brand. Commenting about the legitimacy of Good Dots products, Sonali says that while the entire food chain has got infested with harmful chemicals, the Udaipur-based company makes preservative-free products. A manufactured product cannot be the most healthy product out there, but it is a healthier alternative for sure. Our topline is growing 200% year-on-year and we label our products with complete transparency, which is well-received by our consumers, she says.

A key player in plant-based foods segment is OZiva whose product range includes clean protein blends, plant-based micronutrients and plant nutrition for special dietary needs. Launched in 2016, OZiva has become the worlds first connected omni-channel nutrition brand where people can pick-up a product from anywhere and consult a human expert digitally. Talking about the rationale behind their inception, co-founder Aarti Gill says, There is an emergence of flexitarian consumers who are looking for cutting their meat intake and are looking to get the same or better nutrition from plant based products. The adoption comes in response to a combination of ethical, environmental or health concern.

The company has an in-house R&D team that works on the formulation of potential products wherever the need is identified. They combine clean nutrients along with different plant extracts to bring the benefits of both the sciences to human body. Being a clean label brand, it is very important for us to source the right ingredients. These ingredients are first sent to NABL accredited labs for rigorous quality checks which include nutrient profiling, any filler ingredients, heavy metals and toxicity check, potential allergens. Only after all the quality parameters are met, the ingredient is finalised, says Gill, about their product manufacturing process.

Flexitarian over vegetarian

Even as the call for adopting a vegetarian lifestyle, and eliminating meat consumption is on the rise, experts argue that dairy intake causes as much damage to the environment, if not more. The ecological footprint from shifting to a vegetarian lifestyle is very clear. Greenhouse gas emissions reduce, and the water and land used for animal-rearing also come down. However, even if you cut down consumption of meats and consume too much of dairy, then the carbon footprint remains unchanged, says Delhi-based nutritionist and weight management consultant Kavita Devgan.

A 2019 research carried out by Johns Hopkins University in the US modelled the environmental impact of all major diets across 140 countries and concluded that those who switch to a vegetarian diet may be doing more harm than good. By giving up meat and supplementing overseas intake with dairy products such as Halloumi cheese, yogurt and crme frache, vegetarians only fractionally improved their carbon footprint. Our study found that in the UK, switching to a vegetarian diet that includes eggs and dairy is actually less helpful for reducing greenhouse gas emissions than a diet that includes meat, dairy and eggs for one of three meals, and is exclusively plant-based for the other two meals, Keeve Nachman, one of the papers authors said.

The research carried out in the UK particularly found that the average healthy two-thirds vegan diet contributed the equivalent of 762.7 kg of carbon dioxide emissions per-person, compared with 1,265.2 kg for a vegetarian diet that includes dairy. For these reasons, I recommend adopting a flexitarian diet as opposed to a complete vegetarian lifestyle. For instance, rice production involves release of massive quantum of methane, but no one talks about it. Hence, it is recommended that people reduce carbon footprint by being more sensible and judicious in their food preferences, Devgan says.

Nutritionists and dieticians also have their doubts around the mock meat market which only seems to be growing as consumers seek to replace meats in their diets. And then there are downsides to adopting a 100% vegetarian lifestyle too, as the protein intake would be lesser and dairy consumption presents its own set of cons. I believe in a 70:30 ratio for vegetarian and non-vegetarian food consumption. And Im definitely not in the favour of mock meats, because we are not sure of what chemicals are being used in their processes. The long-term benefits of consuming mock meats is still unknown, and it may be a long time before we discover those, Devgan adds.

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A diet healthy for planet: Dont only think green, its time to eat green! - The Financial Express

Looking for a workout that pushes you to the extremes of fitness (and buffness)? After packing on quite a few pounds of muscle mass to portray the Man of Steel in 2013, Cavill once again returned to the gym to do the same for the role of the Witcher, and his full body workout to get in shape this time seems no less intense than that for Superman. If youd like a body like Geralt of Rivia or, erm, Kal-El of Krypton, you have come to the right place.

Needless to say, if you are planning on bulking up like Cavill, you'll need to eat a lot more than you usually do, and we are not talking about gorging yourself on pizzas and beer. We hope you like eggs and steak. For breakfast. Every day for six months. If you think you are dedicated enough to bulk up and work out like Henry Cavill, read on.

(Image credit: Henry Cavill / Facebook)

Henryis famous for his roles in movies such as Mission:Impossible, Superman and most recently, the Netflix hit-series The Witcher. Cavill is also famous for looking like a Greek god in Beast Mode. He reportedly stands 6"1' tall and weighs around 200 lbs. This puts him in the 'obese' BMI category, technically, but we all know the extra pounds are not fat but muscle mass. And lots of it.

Unlike what many people think, Cavill's 'super built phase didn't start with Superman: Man of Steel. No, he had a pretty chiselled body in the 2011 movie the Immortals, when he was around 28 years old. Admittedly, he didn't look as big as he does now. Henry Cavill's workouts have got progressively more brutal as time has gone by.

(Image credit: Henry Cavill / Facebook)

It is worth mentioning straight away that no workout alone would've bulked Cavill up to a level where he is now. To pile on muscle mass, Henry was eating loads and kept a strict diet too in order to speed up his muscle building efforts. According to manofmany, his diet consisted of industrial amounts of protein some of it sourced from the best protein powders and carbs, both being essential for muscle building and recovery.

Another source also confirms by mentioning steaks and eggs for breakfast and multiple lunches to keep energy levels high throughout the day. Keeping the carb and protein levels this high meant that his body is ready for the gruelling workouts, almost 24/7. And ready he was, as we all know by how he looked in every role he took since 2011.

(Image credit: Henry Cavill / Facebook)

And you might think: "I can have steak for breakfast, no problem", just think about it. It's not about having a steak for breakfast once a month; it's having the biggest steak and eggs breakfast every day for six months while working out for hours each day. You have to be strong not just in your body but also in the head to do this.

What is the Henry Cavill Witcher workout and why would you choose it over other workouts that are also equally good for building muscle, such as the 10,000 swing kettlebell workout? At the end of the day, any type of resistance training, combined with a strict diet, will result in the increase of muscle mass, so pick whichever workout you prefer and stick with it, at least for a few months. You will see results soon enough.

(Image credit: Netflix)

According to Men's Health, Cavill's workout was relatively straightforward, which is understandable as he has already been in a good shape for years, so for the Witcher, he 'only' had to accentuate some areas of the upper body, as opposed to starting from scratch.

The exercises mentioned in the aforementioned article are not meant to be performed back-to-back, as Cavill mentions: "Those are moves that we put into workouts, depending on which muscle group or muscle groups we're working that particular day." Meaning that these exercises are highlights from his workouts and not the complete workout itself.

That said, the five exercises below can form a simple full body workout and work most of your body. Maybe instead of the hyperextension, you can do bench presses to grow those pecs and triceps. Or overhead presses for bigger delts. Or both.

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Romanian deadlifts are a deadlift variation (surprise!) and they mainly work the hamstrings, glutes and the lower back, especially the Erector Spinae, the muscles supporting the spine. Romanian deadlifts are performed with heavy weights and therefore the incorrect form could result in your lower back muscles being pulled as opposed to gains. Keep the spine neutral, your shoulders wide and lift from your hamstrings/glutes.

The Witcher workout included three sets of 10 reps of this exercise with a four second eccentric (negative) phase and a 2 second pause before the concentric (positive) phase.

Surprisingly, in the not so many exercises mentioned, there was another one that focuses on the hamstrings, glutes and lower back: hyperextension. That said, hyperextension is an excellent leg day staple exercise and would really bomb the hamstrings, done on the same day with Romanian deadlifts.

The workout recommends three sets of 10 reps with a two second hold at the top.

Oblique static holds are similar to planks in a sense that as opposed to moving, they require you to hold a position for a prolonged period of time. And while the plank and especially the hardstyle plank targets the whole of the core, oblique static hold focuses on the side of the abs.

The workout recommends doing three sets of 30 second holds per side.

Bomb the delts with this shoulder exercise. The 3-way shoulder raise works well because it requires you to work the muscles for longer and from a different angle with each rep. This exercise is not as good for bulking up, rather for accentuating and defining shoulder muscles.

The workout recommends three sets of 15 reps from each position.

This is a brutal biceps exercise. Usually, with alternating dumbbell curls, you give one side a bit of a break when you curl the weight on the other side. But by adding the iso-hold, you work both sides all the time, loading the biceps way more than 'just' doing curls. Be extra careful when doing this exercise.

The workout recommends three sets of 10 reps per arm.

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The Henry Cavill Witcher workout will build full-body Superman strength in just 5 moves - T3

Bush singer-songwriter Gavin Rossdale is probably best known for his high-energy stage presence and iconic performancesbut who could forget his sculpted physique, often put on display via Instagram? Mens Health recently paid the singer a visit at his home for the latest installment of "Gym & Fridge" to get an inside look at how he stays fit (and the countless diets he's tried in the process).

Rossdale says he exactly isnt one to live in the gym, but he spends plenty of time using his punching bag, building speed and agility, and working on becoming "one" with his body.

"I do a lot of stretching," he said. "I play a lot of soccer. So, its not about doing 2-hour workouts, everythings about just trying to make ourselves feel good so we can combat the challenges that everyone throws at us everyday.

Working out for many people can be solely about keeping those abs in check, but the singer says his favorite thing about working out is the connection he feels with his body and the positive impact it has on his mental health. And what keeps him motivated is knowing that time is finite (unless, of course, a hangover keeps him from his workout for the day).

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The only way I can do the shows in the way I do them is because I have awareness with my own body, Rossdale explained. Mental health...its overlooked for far too long, especially for young males. Being fit makes you feel better, it gives you a sense of self. Its not about having a perfect body, its about finding balance and getting the most out of yourself in a reasonable way.

On the other hand, when it comes to nutrition, Rossdale has tried it all, from struggling through a 10-day fast to following a strict Korean diet, loading up on pork and beef. But after doing some research, he realized that eating meat wasnt the best option for him. He says that he and his family are trying to cut back on their meat consumption as a way to save the planet. Rossdale even spent his time in quarantine by building his own herb garden at home.

Men's Health

Meat is just not as good to us as were led to believe. Were really finding ways to fix the planet up. For my kids kids, and their kids, maybe its good for us all to be mindful. The worlds not going to go vegan, but we certainly can change our ways.

Nowadays, you can find his fridge filled with eggs, mushrooms, chickpeas, tofu, carrots, peas, and so much more. Surprisingly, theres no food Rossdale doesnt like or wouldnt eat. He says hes realized if you dont like something, preparation is usually to blame. That definitely leaves us with some food for thought.

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Gavin Rossdale on His Diet, Workout Routine, and Going Vegetarian - menshealth.com

What effect does food have on your lung health? Include these nutrients in your diet to breathe better  |  Photo Credit: iStock Images

New Delhi:We have all read in our school textbooks that the human body breathes in oxygen through the nose and mouth, which is then transported to the whole body with the help of various functions within the body. This oxygen is then used to provide life to all cells in the body and keep the body alive. However, as air pollution worsens around the world and the country, it seems that this fact is now slightly twisted. Apart from oxygen, we are currently breathing in various toxins and pollutants, which can cause serious health issues if not countered.

Air pollution and smog are major concerns for states like Delhi and those that are around it, especially in the winter months of November, December and January. This is the season when stubble burning in neighbouring states is common, which also contributes to the poor quality of air. Moreover, the festival of Diwali, which includes the practice of bursting crackers also adds to the problem. This year, post-Diwali, states of Delhi, and some parts of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana have seen a major spike in pollution levels, even as crackers were banned in many places to curb the potential health hazard.

Given the poor state of air we breathe in, it becomes very important to take care of our lungs. The food we eat has a direct impact on our health, and the same holds true for our lungs. Foods that are rich in antioxidants help to flush out the toxins in the body and aid in better functioning. According to studies as well, healthy diets, in general, have been linked to better health and a reduced risk of breathing disorders such as asthma, COPD, and others.

According to dietitian Upasana Sharma, Clinical Nutrition, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Gurgaon, in view of poor AQI levels that we are facing currently, its important to maintain and cleanse our lungs as they play a vital role in our body. Key nutrients required for efficient respiratory response include:

Disclaimer: Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purpose only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a dietician before starting any fitness programme or making any changes to your diet.

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What effect does food have on your lung health? Include these nutrients in your diet to breathe better - Times Now

Im sure its no surprise to readers of this newsletter that Im not the worlds biggest booster of Thanksgiving. This fall, as the rates of COVID-19 infections in California have ballooned from our previously flattened curve, the sentimental logic of gathering for a holiday that celebrates colonization has felt even more tenuous than usual. But things are different this year. The risk of a major COVID-19 surge means we should definitely not, under any circumstances, host or attend huge blowouts with people we dont live with. Yet we may still have a major opportunity to center the holidays stated values of generosity and gratitude in the way we celebrate. This year, if you can afford it, I want you to pick up your dinner from a local food business.

For many, Thanksgiving is all about cooking up a great feast for your loved ones. But theres also value in seeing Thanksgiving 2020 as an opportunity to support the restaurants, pop-ups and other food businesses you want to keep around. This has been an awful year for the restaurant industry, owing to factors that restaurants and their workers couldnt truly control. With a bipartisan aid package including generous grants specifically earmarked for independent restaurants completely stalled in the U.S. Senate due to GOP leaderships unwillingness to seriously engage with it, we risk losing even more restaurants than we already have.

Beyond Janelle Bitkers great list of places offering Thanksgiving meals in the Bay Area, I have a few other suggestions. (Also check out my pie guide!)

Bayview Bistro, a food hub for Bayview food businesses, is offering some really stunning holiday boxes featuring Jamaican jerk turkey by Peaches Patties, roasted Japanese yams flavored with maple syrup by Gumbo Social and pumpkin cheesecake by Yes Pudding. The boxes are on sale until Wednesday November 18 and come in omnivorous and vegetarian variations.

Also in the Bayview are the Vegan Hood Chefs, who will be taking orders for their a la carte Hoodgiving menu until November 22. Im a fan of their vegan macaroni and cheese, so Im glad its on offer. The menu is an appetizing mix of Southern classics like gumbo and dirty rice and autumnal dishes like pecan apple walnut salad.

For people who really cant get enough pie (me), Maison Nico, a new market and cafe from the owners of Michelin-starred French restaurant Nico, is offering a turkey tourte that can feed 6-8 people. Encased in a dome of attractively scored pastry, the tourte contains a mixture of turkey, quince and chestnut. I would imagine itd be perfect with pickled cranberries on the side.

If youre feeling even more generous this year, you could also buy a meal for someone else. La Santa Torta, a roving quesabirria truck, has been offering pay-what-you-can meals to anyone who asks. You can donate to that effort on its website. Seor Sisig has also been taking donations to feed people facing food insecurity during the pandemic; so far, the Filipino-Mexican food truck business has raised less than half of its $100,000 goal. Horn Barbecue in West Oakland is hosting a free community meal on November 23 from 1-3 p.m. and is actively seeking volunteers. (If youre interested in helping out, email them!) And Mak-amham, the organization behind the Cafe Ohlone pop-up, has been doing farmers market food drop-offs for tribal elders in San Lorenzo. Theyre taking donations for that community work as well as building the next iteration of Cafe Ohlone.

While not restaurant-related, even more urgent is the need for volunteers among area food banks, who have been struggling to keep up with increased demand. The San Francisco-Marin Food Bank told The Chronicle that it now serves up to 60,000 families every week, though half of its volunteer shifts have gone unfilled this fall.

In a year like this, everyone needs all the help they can get. If youre in a position to pitch in, theres never been a better time to do it.

This week, Virgie Tovar, an author and podcast host, talks with me about diet culture: what it is, how it feels and how we can push against it in favor of a less punitive way of thinking about how we eat. Battling fatphobia is about more than just changing attitudes on a personal level, she says. She also sees healthcare reform and economic justice as integral to that fight. Justin and I also discuss how food writers and food media at large have perpetuated myths about diets and eating.

Some may balk at the price tag on the imported anchovies at the new Anchovy Bar six fillets with accoutrements range from $18-22 but the restaurant really hustles to make it worth it. Its all about building the perfect bite, with a twirl of salty, creamy fillet; a dollop of crme frache; crunchy shaved radish; and crisp toasted ciabatta. Youve likely never had anchovies like these.

The vegan guava sticky bun from Tavos Joint, a new Venezuelan spot in SoMa, is such a brilliant bite. The pastry, presented like a cinnamon roll, gets heavy floral notes from a double-punch of guava butter and fresh guava jam. It reminded me of the king cakes I would get around Mardi Gras from Normas, a Cuban bakery in New Orleans, which were filled with guava pasta and sweetened cream cheese. Oof.

In the South Bay, Pav Bhaji Huts trucks are the best place to try pav bhaji, a slow-cooked and deeply savory vegetable mash paired with toasty glazed rolls. The famous Maharashtrian street snack is rich with butter and layered with toasty cumin, black cardamom and other spices. As with tacos or pho, fresh garnishes of chopped raw onion, citrus and minces cilantro add a refreshing, sharp edge to the dish.

For Eater, writer Charlotte Druckman interviewed S.F. restaurateur Pim Techamuanvivit about what it takes to keep two restaurants open right now. Techamuanvivit is brutally honest here. I dont understand why its up to me as a small-business owner to search my conscience every month to decide whether or not to support my employees, she said at one point. Where is the conscience of this government, of this social system to support people? Where is the conscience of the country?

In case you missed it, I reviewed the takeout (?!) at the House of Prime Rib, the storied English-style steakhouse that people seem to love for its refusal to change.

And if youre curious about eating outdoors in the Bay Area but dont want to freeze your butt off, weve updated our outdoor dining guides to include information about heat lamps! Check out my Top Outdoor Dining list and Janelle Bitkers guide to spacious patios.

Bite Curious is a weekly newsletter from The Chronicles restaurant critic, Soleil Ho, delivered to inboxes on Monday mornings. Follow along on Twitter: @Hooleil

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Heres why you should get a restaurant meal for Thanksgiving this year - San Francisco Chronicle

SEATTLE, Washington In Mongolia, where crop cultivation is impossible for anywhere between six and nine months each year, vegetable consumption constitutes a privilege. The regional phenomenon of extremely dry summers and harsh winters, collectively known as the dzud, severely undermines agricultural yields and makes farming economically unattractive. With domestic producers routinely struggling to satisfy more than 60% of its vegetable demand and with 25% of its 3 million people experiencing food shortages, Mongolia is yet to close its nutritional gap, exemplified in the paucity of vegetarian dishes in the countrys culinary tradition.

There are several factors contributing to the size and persistence of Mongolias nutritional gap.

There are many reasons why Mongolia has not thus far succeeded in closing its nutritional gap by optimizing vegetable cultivation but there are just as many initiatives designed to help it create a robust agricultural infrastructure and expand its citizens access to fresh and affordable vegetables.

As early as in 2008, the government launched a campaign to boost private crop growth. Many years later, the country is self-sustaining in wheat and potato production, farmers are planting more than 30 different types of vegetables on some 700,000 hectares of arable land and the Crop Protection Fund (CPF) equips producers with seeds, fuel, heavy machinery and fertilizers, prior to the annual cultivation season.

Although farmers are expected to repay any outstanding debts to the CPF, they may always sell their seeds and grain after the harvest to the state, if their sales have not been as high as they anticipated.

The Food and Agriculture Organization is also present locally. ItsInput Supply to Vulnerable Populationsproject, operational between 2008 and 2009, assisted 9,000 rural households with efficient seed usage, water management and food production. It helped farmers gather some 600 tons of high-quality potato seeds at the end of 2009.

Simultaneously, the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction (JFPR) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) are jointly subsidizing the government program to train farmers in water usage, soil cultivation, pest control and greenhouse maintenance. Undertaken by Mongolias Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry, this initiative has created 30 Community Greenhouse Groups, altogether consisting of some 180 farmers spread across four sites.

This work is estimated to cost $3.2 million and should help foster resilience and collaboration among the countrys vegetable producers.

In addition to nationwide efforts, the struggle to close the nutritional gap has attracted considerable grassroots involvement. In particular, religious communities have become platforms for people to join forces and resultantly maximize agricultural yields.

In the village of Erdenebulgan, the local Bahai worshippers have successfully been running a community vegetable garden since 1997. By collecting at least 100 kg of fresh vegetables each harvest, it has seen residents not just savor vegetables for the first time but also diversify their diets and improve health. The locals have even acquired climate-resistant seeds from Canada to maximize their output by planting the types of crops that could withstand their regions harsh weather conditions.

Similarly, the Buddhist Luvsandanzanjantsan Studies Centre, located in the town of Bayankhongor, has been working for more than 15 years on promoting healthy food consumption and growing vegetables and sugar beets in the area.

Another project, with which Mongolian Buddhists are fighting the countrys nutritional gap, is a communal garden in Gachuurt. The garden aims to help people access a more varied diet and generate income by selling surplus vegetables.

As the annual dzud curtails domestic production of vegetables and many Mongolians have been dissuaded from agriculture by their countrys past, Mongolia is not self-sufficient in vegetable cultivation; nor does it provide for the poor, whose unbalanced diets are disproportionately meat-based and conducive to health issues like obesity. Despite this, the scope of existing government, international and grassroots participation suggests that Mongolias struggle to close its nutritional gap could soon be nearing its end.

Dan MikhaylovPhoto: Flickr

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Mongolia's Struggle to Close the Nutritional Gap - BORGEN - Borgen Project