Investing in agro-ecological agricultural
practices, backed by the right technology, balanced against traditional wisdom
would help ensure food security, said eminent agricultural scientist M S
Swaminathan here on Monday.
Delivering the 11th Joseph Cardinal
Parecattil Commemorative Lecture 2012, on the theme, 'Rio+20 - Green Economy
With Inclusive Growth', Swaminathan said modern practices like precision
farming and climate-resilient farming or 'smart farming', would help convert
the concept of 'evergreen agriculture revolution' into a reality.
"The shift from green revolution to
evergreen revolution requires emphasis on ecologically sustainable practices
and state interventions to improve food supply. We are able to produce enough
to feed our 1.2 billion people. But, malnutrition and under-nutrition still
remain major issues. Increasing food price volatility is another problem that
has to be tackled," Swaminathan said. Recommendations to control food
price volatility have been made for being incorporated in the Food Security
Bill to be soon passed in Parliament, he said. The suggestions include tougher
regulatory measures in commodity markets, increase in transparency in exchange
trading and closing of agricultural contracts and building stocks at world and
regional levels.
"It is important to restore confidence
in the international trading system through policy options like putting in
place the right import and export policies, as well as timely dissemination of
information on market fundamentals," Swaminathan said.
Swaminathan, who had mooted forming a national
grid to store grain to reduce the high distribution costs and time taken
in delivering agricultural produce to India's remote parts, said legal
entitlement should be given to underprivileged and disadvantage people on a
priority basis to ensure their food security.
"We have to think in terms of a targeted
PDS (public distribution system) versus a universal PDS. An important issue for
the Food Security Act to tackle is whether PDS can be made universal in the 200
high-burden districts identified by the Prime Minister's Nutrition
Advisory Council," he said. Noting that the Food Security Bill should be
built on cultural honesty, he hoped it would help usher in convergence and
synergy among diverse areas like drinking water, sanitation and health care.
The National Commission on Farmers chaired
by Swaminathan has also recommended the formation of a National Nutrition Food Security
Council under the provisions of the FSA to ensure political support and
oversight of the Food Security Bill across party lines once the bill becomes law.
Original Article Here
No comments:
Post a Comment