<p>Prof M S Swaminathan, eminent agriculture scientist and chairperson of the M S Swaminathan Research Foundation, has called for biosafety along with promotion of biotechnology in the country. <br /><br />Biotechnology is often looked at with scepticism, but emphasis must be given on biotechnology with biosafety, in order to give a boost to agriculture in India, he said.<br /><br />Delivering the 48th convocation address of the University of Agriculture Sciences, Bangalore, on Sunday, he stressed the need for a Biosafety Regulatory Authority, which would complement the proposed Biotechnology Regulatory Authority for the country. </p>.<p><br />“There are too many varieties in genetically modified crops. There have to be all-India co-ordinated trials for genetically modified crops,” he said. </p>.<p>With regard to the Food Security Bill, he observed that food security must also include nutrition security. </p>.<p> <br />“In spite of producing 270 million tonnes of foodgrain and 140 million tonnes of milk, there is malnutrition and low birth weight babies. Hence, there must be nutrition security. </p>.<p>There is protein hunger and hidden hunger in the country. Drinking water too is part of food security,” he said. <br /><br />Also, to revive age-old wisdom, he called for an International Year for Under Utilised and Bio Fortified Crops. </p>.<p>Speaking about the overall development of the agriculture sector in India, he opined that emphasis should be on both non-farm employment opportunities and small farmer opportunities. <br /><br />Scientific skills, political will and farmers’ toil are needed with a synergy of technology and public policy, to push agriculture to a new level. Attracting youth to farming is also important, he said. In this direction, he called for an impetus to agriculture engineering for technology upgradation. <br /><br />DH News Service</p>
<p>Prof M S Swaminathan, eminent agriculture scientist and chairperson of the M S Swaminathan Research Foundation, has called for biosafety along with promotion of biotechnology in the country. <br /><br />Biotechnology is often looked at with scepticism, but emphasis must be given on biotechnology with biosafety, in order to give a boost to agriculture in India, he said.<br /><br />Delivering the 48th convocation address of the University of Agriculture Sciences, Bangalore, on Sunday, he stressed the need for a Biosafety Regulatory Authority, which would complement the proposed Biotechnology Regulatory Authority for the country. </p>.<p><br />“There are too many varieties in genetically modified crops. There have to be all-India co-ordinated trials for genetically modified crops,” he said. </p>.<p>With regard to the Food Security Bill, he observed that food security must also include nutrition security. </p>.<p> <br />“In spite of producing 270 million tonnes of foodgrain and 140 million tonnes of milk, there is malnutrition and low birth weight babies. Hence, there must be nutrition security. </p>.<p>There is protein hunger and hidden hunger in the country. Drinking water too is part of food security,” he said. <br /><br />Also, to revive age-old wisdom, he called for an International Year for Under Utilised and Bio Fortified Crops. </p>.<p>Speaking about the overall development of the agriculture sector in India, he opined that emphasis should be on both non-farm employment opportunities and small farmer opportunities. <br /><br />Scientific skills, political will and farmers’ toil are needed with a synergy of technology and public policy, to push agriculture to a new level. Attracting youth to farming is also important, he said. In this direction, he called for an impetus to agriculture engineering for technology upgradation. <br /><br />DH News Service</p>
