Karnataka - Mysore

New evergreen revolution mooted for future food security

— PHOTO: M.A. SRIRAM

Felicitations: U.R. Rao, Chairman, Physical Research Laboratory Governing Council, Department of Space (extreme right), congratulating college toppers at the JSS College of Arts, Commerce and Science in Mysore on Friday.

MYSORE: U.R. Rao, Chairman, Physical Research Laboratory Governing Council, Department of Space, Government of India, on Friday said a new evergreen revolution, based on sustainable development practices and application of knowledge-based third wave Information and Communication Technology revolution, for agriculture is the only practical way to ensure food security in the coming decades.

“This would demand adoption of bio-technological advances like site-specific manipulation of foodgrain genome, high-yielding cultivars, integrated pest management strategy, extensive application of space technology for monitoring and management of soil, water, crop growth and precision farming methods using space-based geographic information systems,” said Prof. Rao.

Addressing the students during the Graduates’ Day of the JSS College of Arts, Commerce and Science here, Prof. Rao, disclosed that the Department of Space has set up over 400 Village Resource Centres (VRCs) networked to well-equipped knowledge centres from where rural people could obtain all necessary assistance and information, even on agriculture. “I have confidence that with the help of science and technology, the problems of food, economy, energy and environmental security of the country could be successfully tackled, provided we improve our administration and weed out corruption,” he said.

Prof. Rao, who heads the Karnataka Science and Technology Academy, felt the greatest challenge before us would be to provide basic food, health, economic, energy and environmental security on a sustainable basis to all peoples to enable them to achieve a minimum acceptable quality of life.

Speaking about the country’s progress, he said in selected areas of science and technology, where the emphasis has been on self reliance, the country had indeed made spectacular progress. India’s remarkable achievement in the development of nuclear technology has made our country a de-facto nuclear power, he said. “Our nation’s developments in space technology and its extensive application for deriving practical benefits have become the envy of advanced countries,” he said.

Prof. Rao said India could be proud of the recent successful mission of sending Chandrayaan to the moon, which, according to him, is a testimony to the capability of our scientists and technologists.

Referring to the role of educational institutions, Prof. Rao said the mushrooming of badly managed and ill-equipped colleges, universities and educational institutions, along with ill-equipped teachers can not build a healthy nation. “Mediocrity in our educational system can only multiply mediocrity and cannot create excellence,” he said. On the occasion, Prof. Rao felicitated the college toppers.

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