On February 26, 2023, Academy of Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management and Coffee at Anu Books held a panel discussion titled "Changing Food and Climate Change" in which several prominent figures participated. Among the panelists was Lalitpur Metropolitan City Mayor, Chiri Babu Maharjan, who emphasized the importance of consuming quality food for good health. He also shared that the city had launched a campaign to grow rooftop vegetables during the COVID-19 pandemic, which had positively impacted citizens. Mr. Maharjan pledged to bring more programs and campaigns to mitigate climate change.
The United Nations Development Program's Country Representative, Ms. Ayshanie Medagangoda Labe, also spoke at the event, praising the efforts of various organizations in fostering community-level dialogues. She stressed the need to protect Nepal's fertile land and its production of nutritious micronutrients, which could be economically devastating for the people if destroyed by climate change.
Master Chef Santosh Shah, another panelist, pointed out that climate change had already affected the harvest season of various crops, and emphasized the importance of working together to mitigate these challenges by valuing the blessed fertile land and reflecting on nature.
Prashant Khanal, writer of the book Timmur and co-founder of Raithane Restaurant, stressed the importance of understanding the entire food chain process from farm to table, including the impact of livestock farming and methane emissions on climate change.
The Chairman of the Academy of Culinary Arts, Mr. Ashesh Maharjan, reminded the audience of the importance of Sustainable Development Goals and the commitment of the private sector to achieving them. He emphasized that it was now our turn to take care of the environment and nature after having used them for economic prosperity in many ways.
The moderator of the event was Ms. Anaida Nakarmi, an ACA alumna. The program was one of the collateral events of Photo Kathmandu, an event focused on planet, climate, and biodiversity.
Established in 2010, the Academy of Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management provides a Diploma in Culinary Arts course and has produced more than 1000 students, paving their way to employment. The college also offers a Bachelor's degree in Hotel Management (BHM), a Bachelor's in Business Administration (BBA) with a focus on entrepreneurship and leadership skills.
