INDIA’S FOOD SECURITY GRIM: EXPERT
Speaking at a seminar on “WHERE
HUNGER PREVAILS, PEACE CANNOT PREVAIL – A ROAD MAP FOR A HUNGER FREE, NUTRITION SECURE INDIA”, organized by the National Academy of agricultural sciences, Mr.Sanjaya Rajaram, Director of International Centre for Agricultural research in Dry Areas (ICARDA) based in Syria said the following:-
If India fails to enhance
production of
wheat, it will lead to a huge gap between supply and demand by the
year 2020. There could be social upheavals and rampant hunger and malnutrition. Indian situation could become like Africa, which does not produce but eat wheat.
Mr.Rajaram said in the year 100 million
tonnes of wheat is
required to be
produced in 2020. 74 million tonnes were produced this year. The deficit will require Rs. 40,000 crore. 2.8 tonnes are produced per hectre in 2002-07... The actual production required is 3.8 tonnes per hectare
He also said that this can be achieved by reducing Monsoon damages, Proper water Management, Avoiding Post Harvest Loses, and by using Disease and Pest Resistant Seeds.
He pointed out that both Bangladesh and Nepal may fully depend on Indian wheat in 2020. Climate Change, specially, Temperature Increase is a retrograde factor.
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