Agricultural scientist urges for promotion of bio fortified crops

Chairperson of New Delhi-based Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Authority (PPV&FRA) Trilochan Mohapatra on Sunday called upon agricultural scientists to jealously promote nutritional literacy in the country by mainstreaming the bio-fortified crops.

He stressed the need for an enlarged food basked that would address malnutrition, adequate seed production and price advantate to farmers

Mohapatra, a former head of the Directorate of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) and former Director General of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), was delivering the first K Ramiah Foundation Day lecture here at the National Rice Research Institute (NRRI) on Sunday.

He said the global food system is currently being challenged by three 'Cs': Climate change, Covid and Conflicts.

Speaking at length on nutrition security through various food crops to address the malnutrition menace, the senior rice scientist, in his talk, spelt out the priorities for farm scientists, farmers, policymakers and media personnel and said a sustainable food system encompasses social, economic and environmental considerations.

"Unfortunately, we do not often bother about the sustainable food system globally," he said.

Dwelling upon the Global Hunger Index (GHI), Mohapatra said undernourishment, child stunting, child wasting and child mortality are the four key indicators of the GHI. He said that the 2022 GHI score for the World was 18.2 and was considered moderate, down slightly from the 2014 score of 19.1, adding that most unhealthy children are from Asia and Africa.

NRRI also signed two MoUs with entrepreneurs on the occasion.

Similarly, two new in-house publications were released on the day. Farmers, scientists and retired employees were also felicitated for their significant contributions to the institute.