The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Biotechnology, the means to combat climate change: M.S. Swaminathan

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Tuesday, Sep 16, 2008
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Biotechnology, the means to combat climate change: M.S. Swaminathan

Special Correspondent

He calls for the creation of infrastructure in “bio valleys”

Students asked to look beyond rice and wheat for our food security
Local communities could also play a role in enlarging the food security basket

CHENNAI: Preserving biodiversity, whether through age-old traditions or modern biotechnology, is essential to combat the impacts of climate change, according to agricultural scientist M.S. Swaminathan.

Delivering a lecture on the management of climate change for sustainable food security at the Indian Institute of Technology here on Monday, Prof. Swaminathan called for the creation of infrastructure in “bio valleys” to conserve and nurture biodiversity. “The Bio Valley is to biotechnology what Silicon Valley is to information technology,” he said.

At a time when climate change threatens to exacerbate the global food, water and land crises with warmer temperatures, droughts, floods and rising sea levels, Prof. Swaminathan pointed out that biotechnology and genetic engineering could help develop species that would adapt to the changing conditions. Isolating the salt tolerance gene in mangroves or wild rice, or the drought tolerance gene in the widespread shrub prosopis juliflora could form a “genetic shield” against the impacts of climate change.

Responsible usage

He rejected criticism that genetic engineering was dangerous, pointing out that the technology was neutral in itself, but had to be used responsibly, adding that the proposed National Biotechnology Regulatory Authority would provide the framework for using the technology.

“Rice is going to be the saviour of our country in climate change,” said Prof. Swaminathan, pointing out that with 1,25,000 varieties, the rice plant had strains which would grow even in the midst of floods or rising sea water levels. However, it is important to conserve the different varieties, rather than letting them die out, he said and urged policy makers to exploit the traditional knowledge of Indian communities.

Local banks need to be set up for genes, seeds, grains and water, he said.

Of course, technology also plays its part, with the mega seed vaults preserving millions of seeds under the perma-frost of the North Pole region.

Enlarge food security basket

Local communities could also play a role in enlarging the food security basket to include “orphan crops” such as ragi, millet and other grains which would be drought-resistant, adaptive to temperature changes and also provide healthy options.

“We need to look beyond rice and wheat for our food security. When I was a student, during World War II, there was a restaurant named Annapoorna, which used no rice or wheat in its dosas or other dishes…We need to revitalise our earlier food traditions and culinary habits to adapt to climate change impacts,” he said.

Prof. Swaminathan urged IITians to widen their own dietary habits, prompting laughter and a determination among students to examine their own mess menus.

The scientist encouraged students to offer their own solutions and innovative ideas to fight climate change as part of the Mission for Strategic Knowledge on Climate Change, one of the eight missions of the National Action Plan.

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