The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Farmers should be made aware of benefits of BT: Minister

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jan 10, 2006

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Farmers should be made aware of benefits of BT: Minister

Special Correspondent

`Biotechnology can help reduce nutritional deficiencies among the poor'

BENEFITS OF BT: Purdue University Dean Randy Woodson speaking to Agriculture Minister K. Srinivasa Gowda at a conference on biotechnology in Bangalore on Monday. Iowa State University Dean Wendy Wintersteen, UAS Vice-Chancellor M.N. Sheelavantar (se cond from left), and CFTRI Director V. Prakash are seen. — Photo: K. Gopinathan

BANGALORE: The controversies and misgivings about Bt cotton and biotechnology are on account of the failure to provide information about their benefits to farmers, Minister for Agriculture K. Srinivasa Gowda said on Monday.

Inaugurating a three-day international conference on "Biotechnology approaches for alleviating malnutrition" at the University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS, GKVK campus) here, the Minister said awareness of the benefits of biotechnology (BT) should be created among farmers.

Mr. Srinivasa Gowda said that in spite of remarkable accomplishments of the Green Revolution, there is a high level of malnutrition. Twenty-six per cent of farmers and 45 per cent of agricultural labourers suffer from deficiencies, including that of protein. Women and children are vulnerable to nutrient-deficiency disorders. Consumption data on cereals provide disturbing trends in food and nutrition security during 1990s. The per capita energy and protein intake declined sharply in the 1990s following a cut in subsidies and introduction of economic reforms. Calorie intake declined from 2,423 in 1988 to 2,277 in 2000, he said.

There is a need for improving the nutrient quality of the largely vegetarian diet of people in villages, the Minister said. BT has potential to reduce nutritional deficiencies among the poor.

Adoption of BT requires an understanding of benefits and potential risks by educators, policy makers and farmers, he added.

On the partnership between Purdue University of the U.S. and the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, he said its main purpose should be to make people in villages aware of the potential of BT to improve nutritional levels. M.N. Sheelavantar, UAS Vice-Chancellor, said the conference is being conducted under the higher education partnership between Purdue University and the UAS.

V. Prakash, Director, Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysore, said the level of nutrition among students has increased after the introduction of the midday meal scheme.

Randy Woodson, Dean, Purdue University, and Wendy Wintersteen, Dean, Iowa State University, spoke.

The police maintained tight security on the campus.

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