The National Agricultural Research System (NARS) needs to be strengthened to meet the existing challenges of food production. Taking this into consideration The Government has accorded the much-needed thrust to research and development efforts in the recent past, which will be further augmented in the ensuing XIth Plan. This was stated here today by Shri Sharad Pawar, Minister of Agriculture, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution while inaugurating an international conference on “Recent Scientific Developments in Agricultural Bio-technology: Sharing Experiences and Knowledge” which is sponsored by International Life Sciences Institute-India (ILSI-India), and ILSI-International Food Biotechnology Committee (ILSI-IFBiC) and co-sponsored by Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperation, Government of India.
Shri Pawar enumerated key issues for increasing food production like strengthening and streamlining of transgenic research programme, capacity building and human resource development for effective utilisation of genetic transformation strategies for improving crop and ensuring proper flow of scientific and technical information as well as genetic materials for development and testing of transgenic crops. He also pointed out the need for creating confidence among consumers about the safety of genetically modified foods.
Expressing concern over the decreasing availability of water for agricultural purposes, the minister underlined the need for developing transgenic crops tolerant to increased drought conditions and less water requirement for extending area under cultivation and consequent increase in total food production. India had taken up an ambitious programme on agricultural biotechnology to ensure food security and is among the 21 countries in terms of acreage under GM crops. While Bt cotton has been commercialized many transgenic crops including brinjal, rice, tomoato resistant to leaf-curl virus, tomato with delayed ripening and improved shelf-life, potato with enhanced levels of essential amino acids, pigeonpea resistant to bollworm are in the pipe line for development. Besides many genes of agronomic and nutritional importance have been already cloned and are being introduced into crop species including cereals, pulses, oilseeds, fruits and vegetable crops, Shri Pawar added.
Speaking on the occasion, Shri D.H. Pai Panandiker, Chairman, ILSI-India underlined the need for use of bio-fertilizers and bio-pesticides and called for policy initiatives for increased use of these items for environmental protection and soil restoration.
SBK:AMT:CP:research29.9.2006
(Release ID :21040)