India’s First Food Museum showcases the evolution which transformed the nomadic hunter-gatherers into settled agriculture producers, leading to the beginning of the civilisations.
Union Minister for Commerce, Industry, Food and Public Distribution Piyush Goyal recently virtually launched India’s first Food Museum at Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, and said measures were making the country go up the ladder from currently being the fifth-largest agricultural exporter in the world.
Highlighting the importance of focussing on quality and productivity in taking the farmers’ produce to the world to become a global supplier, Goyal said: “We are already the 5th largest agricultural exporter in the world, and we are aspiring for more. By adopting global best practices, we will improve our processes, bring about system changes, reduce our unnecessary expenditure and benefit our farmers and consumers.”
The 1,860-sqft museum was established by the Food Corporation of India (FCI) as a part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebration. It has been co-developed by FCI and Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museums, Bangalore, at an estimated cost of Rs 1.1 crore with breakthrough technologies like projection mapping, RFID, touch screen kiosk, proximity sensors, and touch sensors. It will function from 11 am to 5 pm on all working days.
The museum showcases the evolution which transformed the nomadic hunter-gatherers into settled agriculture producers, leading to the beginning of the civilisations. “It also displays the ancient grain storage methods (both global and indigenous) and challenges in storage besides information about the journey of FCI.
Goyal said it is the first such museum in India to depict India’s food security story from “ship to mouth” existence to becoming one of the largest food grain exporters nations. “Tamil Nadu will now be home to the agricultural history of India. Thanjavur is the cultural capital of Tamil Nadu. Now it will be home to the agricultural history of India,” he said.
Why is Food Museum set up at Thanjavur?
India’s 1st Food Museum location was finalized as Thanjavur because of its historical significance for the FCI. In a way, Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu is the birthplace of FCI as its first office was opened here on 14th January 1965. Today, after 56 years, India’s Food Museum has been set up here to commemorate the role played by FCI in ensuring food security in the country. The Museum has been developed on the premises of the FCI Divisional Office at Nirmala Nagar in Thanjavur.
About India’s First Food Museum
FCI’s Food Museum set up at Thanjavur showcases several themes and the evolution of agricultural food practices in the country. Some of the important themes and points about FCI’s Food Museum are as follows:
- History of Foragers: The museum showcases the evolution of agricultural systems for the human race, from nomadic hunter-gatherers to settled agricultural producers and farmers, which led to the beginning of civilizations.
- Food Storage: The Food Museum also showcases different types of food storage methods developed and used over the year, both in India and across the world. It also exhibits the foodgrain production scenario in India and across the globe and the challenges in storage as part of the showcase at the Museum.
- Last-mile Distribution: Another essential aspect showcased at the Food Museum includes the journey of the foodgrain from the farm to the consumers’ plate and the role played by FCI in it.
- Operations of FCI: Through Digital presentation, the Food Museum also showcases a host of technological features employed by FCI to streamline agricultural production and distribution network. The Museum exhibits various technologies such as projection mapping, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), touch screen kiosk, proximity and touch sensors, and virtual reality system.
