TIRUPATI: Looking well beyond food security and hunger elimination, noted agricultural scientist and ‘Father of Green Revolution’ M.S. Swaminathan sees “bio-fortification”, the process of improving nutritional quality of food crops, as holding the key to tackle malnutrition and under-nourishment.
In his talk on ‘Science and zero hunger challenge’ delivered at the 104th Indian Science Congress here on Friday, Dr. Swaminathan called it a matter of shame for the nation to rank low in child nourishment and food security, in spite of the farmers being the “pride of the nation”.
He floated the idea of developing ‘Nutrition gardens’ (botanical gardens with plants considered rich in vitamins, iron, iodine etc.) and creating public awareness. In this connection, he referred to the role played by the newly-developed sweet potato variety having orange-coloured flesh (high in beta carotene) in combating child malnutrition. “After calorie deficiency and protein deficiency, the hidden ‘micronutrient’ deficiency requires attention now”, he pointed out.
Calling food as curative medicine, as has been found in the case of tuberculosis, he said that reaching food to the masses would eliminate most disorders.
On Ehrlich's prediction of India falling flat in achieving food security, he threw a challenge to the agricultural scientists to prove wrong all such prophesies. While stressing the need to promote sustainable agriculture to end hunger and also ensure higher nutrition status, Dr. Swaminathan suggested “genetic checkmating” of new disease threats to usher in the era of food security. The scientist also sought enough focus on “orphan crops” such as millets and core cereals, which have, of late, gained prominence as climate-smart nutri-cereals.
From Nehruvian focus on multi-purpose irrigation projects to Lal Bahadur Shastri equating farmer with the soldier with the catchy slogan “Jai Jawan Jai Kisan’, Dr. Swaminathan dwelt on former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s inclusion of ‘Jai Vigyan’ that gave the technological thrust to India's focus.
On Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu's offer of Rs.100 crore to Nobel prize winner from the State, Dr. Swaminathan hailed it as having great potential to stimulate scientific thinking.
ISCA General-President D. Narayana Rao and Sri Venkateswara University Vice-Chancellor Avula Damodaram felicitated him.
