Along with my major research interests such as Natural Resource Management, Drought Management, Agriculture is one of my favorite topic for research and analysis. Agriculture is not only the most important economic activity that feed entire human population, it is also single source of livelihood for world's most poor and marginal population.
With openness provided by Internet Forums and #SocialMedia, there is a possibility of an inclusive policy discussion. One of such discussion was conducted by @IDRC "Are genetic crops the answer to the world food crisis? Ask India's Green Revolution founder" on World Food Day, 2013.
Though, I don't endorse genetic food for people due to possible generic massacre of agricultural gene-pool, my interest was solving food crisis. Hence my Question to M S Swaminathan, known as the father of the Green Revolution in India was this:
@IDRC_CRDI @DougSaunders MyQuestion: Despite India has world's most hungry people why its #foodsecurity prog is always based on supply side?
M S Swaminathan replied:
To @AmiSri: It is correct that until recently grain mountains and hungry
millions coexisted in India. 2013 however marks a very significant
milestone in India's quest to achieve what Mahatma Gandhi wanted over 70
years ago - namely, a hunger free India. The Indian parliament has
passed a Food Security bill which will ensure that nearly 800 million
children, women and men will have access to the necessary calories at
very low cost, Rupees 1-3 per kilogram (about 60 Rupees per USD).
India is probably the only country in the world
which has made access to food a basic human right so that food with
human dignity becomes a reality. This is the largest social protection
measure against hunger ever undertaken on our planet. The transition
from a "ship to mouth" existence of the 1960s to the right to food with
homegrown food in this year 2013 is a remarkable tribute to both science
and public policy.
The entire discussion is available here: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/live-wed-oct-16-at-noon-et-chat-with-the-father-of-indias-green-revolution/article14868499/
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