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Policies should address food security concerns, says M.S. Swaminathan

Photo: H. Vibhu

Sharing concern: Dr. M.S. Swaminathan with Agriculture Minister Mullakkara Ratnakaran in Kochi on Friday. -

KOCHI: Architect of the Green Revolution M.S. Swaminathan has highlighted the need for a common minimum programme for food security. He advocated an evergreen revolution which would take care of ecological factors too. The scientist was addressing a meeting organised by the Rotary Cochin Central to confer the ‘For the sake of Honour Award’ on him here on Friday.

He called upon the people to integrate the best of technologies for sustained development. He called upon scientists to create an international patents bank for climate-friendly technologies. Quoting Swami Vivekananda, he said: “This life is short; the vanities of the world are transient; but they alone live who live for others; the rest are more dead than alive.”

Referring to the UN millennium development goals, he said that in an interdependent world, the collective security depended critically on the success in the war against poverty. Food security had to be at the centre of the policies for development.

He dwelt upon the international initiatives to counter climate change and HIV. Agricultural productivity in Africa and Latin America could fall as much as 30 per cent in this century due to climate change.

Climate change could cost the global economy almost $7 trillion by 2050 if no action was taken to curb green house gases. Strategies for improving livelihood security, thus reducing poverty, migration and risky sexual behaviours could be adopted to reduce danger from HIV.

Speaking on the occasion, Agriculture Minister Mullakkara Ratnakaran underlined the importance of a culture based on agricultural development. Unequal distribution of wealth in the urban milieu was a cause for concern, he said.

The younger generation would have to learn a lot from the farm-based culture of villages.

L.Narayanaswamy, district Governor of RI District 3200, presented the award to Mr. Swaminathan. K.R. Viswambharan, Vice-Chancellor, Kerala Agricultural University, K.S.Rajan, president, Rotary Cochin Central, and others spoke.

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