BHUBANESWAR (Commodity Online): India needs to rethink its food production and research methods and also reassess the priorities in food, according to S Ayyapan, Director General of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
He was delivering a talk on 'Feeding Crores for Ever' during the 99th Science Congress at the KIIT University.
According to Ayappan, India needs to undertake and promote consultancy services in the fields of education, research, training and dissemination of information in agriculture, agro-forestry, animal husbandry, fisheries, home science and allied sciences and also the development of information systems as Kisan Mobile Sandesh and Agropedia could generate indirect employment.
The Indian agriculture has changed a lot as the scientists in the areas spanning pesticides, agricultural machines, rural development, renewable energy sources, materials technology, molecular plant breeding and genetically improved grains and spearheading a remarkable silent revolution which is shaping the country's progress through this decade of innovation.
But presently, the country is concerned about natural resource base, impact of climate change on production, ground depletion and imbalance in food grain.
"We have to act as clearing house of research and general information relating to agriculture, animal husbandry, home science and fisheries and to institute and promote transfer of technology programmes",said Ayappan.
The country has improved productivity in dry-land farming, bio-engineering measures for soil-conservation, integrated nutrient management, integrated farming system and water budgeting.
