Prof MS Swaminathan, father of India’s Green Revolution, expressed regret that the embargo on field trials of genetically-modified (GM) crops is costing the nation high in terms of agricultural production and food security.
“The ban on the field trials of the genetically-modified crops has delayed the introduction of drought and saline tolerant varieties if rice developed by the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation. The ban has caused a lot of inconvenience to farmers as well as the consumers. The ban comes at atime whn the scientists are engaged in developing high yield varieties of seeds,” Prof Swaminathan said here on Sunday. He was addressing the special convocation ceremony of the Bhubaneswar based KIIT University held at Chennai.
The octogenarian agriculture scientist said a small state like Odisha could guard the country from the impact of climate change and raise in global temperature. “It has been found that the mangroves in Odisha are the best bio-shields which could protect the country from cyclones and tsunamis. The mangroves found in Odisha are strong enpugh to prevent any kind of soil erosion. Odisha, which has a tribal population of 28 per cent is a genetic paradise both in terms of paddy as well as medicinal plants. The Koraput region of the State has a rich repository of paddy seeds. The Kalajeera variety of rice is described as Odisha’s basmati. It is a must that we protect the seed varieties for the future,” he said.
The KIIT honoured Prod Swaminathan with a honorary Doctor of Science for his nearly seven decades long agriculture research. “I started my scientific career from the Regional Rice Research Station at Cuttack. It was the work which I did at Cuttack which got converted into the seeds of the Green Revolution making the country self sufficient in food,” said the professor.
He also pointed out that Orissa needs non-farm employment to address the problems arising out of malnutrition and poverty. “We are watching the unusual phenomenon of prosperity of nature and poverty of people co-existing in Odisha,” he said.
Achyuta Samanta, founder, KIITS University, said the university was honouring itself by conferring the DSc on Prof Swaminathan.