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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Proper storage of grain needed for food security, says expert

Proper storage of grain needed for food security, says expert

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published Published on Sep 27, 2010   modified Modified on Sep 27, 2010



Popularly known as father of green revolution in India, M S Swaminathan, felt India has to provide at least 50 grain storages across the country of one million tonne capacity each for the successful implementation of the Right to Food Security Act.

"We require at least 50 grain storages across India that can contain one million tonne of grains each. For the success of this project, by whatever name it is called, it is important to have enough food in the neighbourhood so that we make food a legal right, just like education and information," the Rajya Sabha member said while speaking at the CSIR foundation day programme at the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) at Dona Paula on Sunday.

The Padmavibhushan awardee - speaking on 'Safeguarding National Food Security in an Era of Climate Change' - said the Right to Food Security Act envisaged by the government of India can only be implemented if there is enough food.

"There are 16 million tonnes of rice and wheat available with the government. India also has the world's largest public distribution system with a network of over two lakh fair price shops across the country, but storage of grains needs to be improved for it to reach all the people," Swaminathan said.

In the eyes of the founder and chairman of the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation, climate change could result in a threat to agriculture, food, water security and loss of livelihood. Even one degree Celsius rise in mean temperature, he said, will affect wheat yield because of reduction in duration and grain weight.

He said that the problem arises with regards to access and absorption of food grains in India.

"For one, the purchasing power of the people is not adequate and natural calamities around the world make the prices of food grains volatile. We need to focus on food grown by our own farmers as it insulates our poor as they grow their own food and the country remains unaffected by volatility, caused by happenings around the world," said Swaminathan, who revolutionized wheat production in the country by introducing and further developing high yielding varieties.

He said the country should also take care of non-food factors such as sanitation and health care so that the food absorbed is not lost due to illnesses such as dysentery.

The founder and chairman of the M S Swaminathan Research Foundation, said that awareness about nutrition should be brought out from the bottom of the social pyramid upwards and not the other way round.

Swaminathan said milk, fish and horticultural products are essential nutrition for the population and Goa is fortunate to have a large amount of land under horticulture.


The Times of India, 27 September, 2010, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Proper-storage-of-grain-needed-for-food-security-says-expert/articleshow/6633594.cms


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