Malnutrition a bigger threat to humanity, warns Swaminathan

Tirupati: It is high time the scientists take it as a challenge to eliminate the `hidden hunger’ that is malnutrition which is taking alarming propositions, said eminent agricultural scientist M S Swaminathan.

Delivering a talk on `Science and the Zero Hunger Challenge’ at the plenary session of the 104th Indian Science Congress (ISC) here on Friday, the legendary scientist who played a key role in the country’s `Green Revolution’ said that food security should not be limited to ensuring food grains but should be broadened to cover food agriculture, nutrients and also health’ to overcome the hidden hunger that is malnutrition a major problem faced by many countries including India.

To promote nutrient value food production to surmount the problem of malnutrition, a multi-pronged strategy involving academic institutions, government, scientists and farmers should be evolved, he said while stressing on re-orienting our approach to ensure that food production be duly taken care of micro-nutrients based calorie rich for food and nutrients security.

In this connection, Swaminathan lauded the ingenious tribal women growing plants of nutritious value following their age-old tradition and sought other people also follow suit by including such plants in their backyard.

Awareness to remake our food to be more and more millet-based and pulses, sustained efforts to promote millets and pulses production and distribution under food security programme, inclusion of plants which are abundant in nutritious value in the universities in the botanical gardens of Botany department to show case the plants value vis-à-vis fulfilling nutrition requirement essential for human health would go a long way in fighting the hidden hunger i.e. malnutrition.

He also suggest of taking the gene-editing for a developing a new kind of `Botanical garden’ for growing plants with nutrients and vitamins like iron etc and also ensure clean water and environment under health programmes will boost efforts for the meaningful implementation of food security, he averred.

The Home Science departments should also involve in promoting nutrient rich food among the people. Swaminathan in his impressive talk dwelled at length on the history of how the country with the involvement of scientists and agriculture university was able to increase food production gradually from `ship-to-mouth existence’ (importing food grain) to reaching self-sufficient in food grain production.

Advocating the exploitation of the rich coast line to combat malnutrition, he wanted the scientists to promote halophytes and added that sea water tolerant plant varieties and developing genetic shield to grow plants in saline and marsh lands also be encouraged as part of increasing food production. ``AP with a long coastline tremendous potential in taking up such plants.

``We failed to think that the world has ninety per cent sea water and the sea water is increasing due to temperature (global warming)’’ he said while emphasising on plants suitable to saline and marsh lands.

Before concluding his speech ignoring his delicate health, Swaminathan called on giving a professional touch to agriculture and remarked agriculture is now not mere brawn than brain too.

R Rukmini of MS Swaminathan Foundation, Chennai also spoke on food production, while SVU vice chancellor A Damodaram, ISCA general president D Narayan Rao and others were present.