(a) whether the Government is aware that a new initiative to create awareness to promote
joint action on agriculture and health fronts has been launched by the Washington based
International Food Policy Research Institute;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government also proposes to reorient the relative public policies for
closer ties between the agriculture and health sector; and
(d) if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY
OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION(PROF. K.V. THOMAS)
(a) to (d): International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) was founded in 1975.
Its mission is to provide policy solutions that reduce poverty in developing countries,
achieve sustainable food security, improve health and nutrition, and promote environmentally
friendly agricultural growth. As per information provided by IFPRI, it is going to convene
a global conference on “Leveraging Agriculture for Improving Nutrition and Health†which will
be held in New Delhi on February 10-12, 2011. The Conference proposes to invite experts
from agriculture, nutrition and health sectors to speak on why the three sectors should work
together more closely and how they could be better linked.
Development and adoption of improved technologies particularly improved
varieties possessing high yield, resistant to important diseases and pest, and other desirable
traits, plays a major role in enhancing production and productivity of the crops.
While formulating public policies in any sector, Government takes into account views of
respective Ministries/Departments concerned with the matter.