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Severe food crisis imminent: Expert Panel warns
Says Nature-friendly farming the only way out, in line with
new UN Report
Delhi, India, 24 Oct 2008 — An expert panel consisting of
scientists, academicians and social development
professionals today warned that India is heading towards a
severe food crisis due to natural resource degradation and
the present calamity is only the tip of the iceberg. They
were talking at an international seminar, 'Environmental
degradation and food crisis – Lessons for India' organized
by Greenpeace India.
The seminar brought to focus the present food crisis and
agricultural situation in the country as well as the
resource degradation and the threats posed by intensive
farming practices. It also discussed the findings of
International Assessment of Agriculture Science and
Technology for Development (IAASTD) – a new UN-World Bank
report, modeled on the lines of IPCC, which was released
earlier this year.
The group of diverse specialists recommended that urgent
measures be taken to conserve the country's natural resource
base by shifting to sustainable eco-friendly farming
practices. The International Seminar was first in the series
of discussion forums that Greenpeace India will be
conducting to highlight the role of natural resource
conservation in India's food security.
"It is critical to bring together scientific wisdom and
practical knowledge to analyze the agriculture situation in
the country and to identify lasting solutions to this
serious problem" said Gopikrishna, Sustainable agriculture
campaigner from Greenpeace while presenting the theme paper
of the seminar. He also opined that there is a need to
provoke discussion about the positive potential of
agro-ecological modes of farming being practiced
successfully in different parts of the country.
Greenpeace also launched a new website, www.smartfarming.org
– a global online community for academia, farmers and civil
society to carry forward and widen the discussion initiated
at this seminar.
Dr.Jan Van Aken, Scientific advisor, Greenpeace
International, said, "The IAASTD report calls for a
fundamental change in the present intensive farming
practices in order to address soaring food prices, hunger,
social inequities and environmental disasters". On the
controversial issue of Genetically engineered crops, Dr. van
Aken, who was also part of the IAASTD negotiations, stated,
"The report does not see genetically engineered crops having
any role in addressing the key problems of climate change,
biodiversity loss, hunger and poverty".
Presenting her paper on 'Lessons from IAASTD for Indian
Agricultural policy', Dr. Rajeswari Raina, Senior fellow,
Centre for Policy Research and a co-author of the IAASTD
report, said, "The Government of India has made a commitment
to inclusive growth in the 11th Five Year Plan; the IAASTD
findings speak directly to this commitment to eradicate
poverty and malnutrition, and ensure a sustainable
environment". She further added, "Today, the world looks up
to India to emerge as the most dynamic environmental nation
state, to lead a real green revolution, deploying advanced
eco-friendly technologies, its wealth of traditional
knowledge, and humane macro policies".
Dr Srijit Mishra (IGIDR, Mumbai), Mr Harvir Singh (Business
Bhaskar), Dr Dinesh Kumar (IRAP, Hyderabad), Dr. Reyes
Tirado (University of Exeter, UK), Mr. Jacob Nellihanam (Richharia
Campaign, Chattisgarh), Mr Umendra Dutt (Kheti Virasat
Mission, Punjab) and Mr Chandrasekhar (CSA, Andhra Pradesh)
also presented papers.
Taking cues from the UN-World Bank IAASTD report, the expert
group suggested that the impending food crisis would be
worse than the present financial crisis, and urged the
Indian government to put in place policy measures to
encourage nature-friendly farming practices and stop the
food crisis from becoming a catastrophe.
Notes to Editor
1. The International Assessment of Agricultural Science and
Technology for Development (IAASTD) is a unique
collaboration initiated by the World Bank in partnership
with a multi-stakeholder group of organisations, including
the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, United
Nations Development Programme, United Nations Environmental
Programme, the World Health Organisation and representatives
of governments, civil society, private sector and scientific
institutions from around the world. The IAASTD's key
objective is to provide information for decision makers on
how to structure agricultural research and development so it
can help to reduce hunger and poverty, improve rural
livelihood and foster sustainable development.
2. The report was compiled by over 400 of the world's
leading agricultural scientists, selected by all
participating governments, companies and NGOs. It is the
most comprehensive account of agricultural knowledge,
science and technology. It provides guidance for
governments, UN agencies and funding institutions for their
future priority setting in agriculture and development. The
next step is for governments and agencies to adjust their
funding, research and development programmes accordingly.
3. The IAASTD report is available for download at:
http://www.agassessment.org
For more information:
Gopikrishna S.R - Sustainable Agriculture campaigner,
Greenpeace India, +91-99008 97341
gkrishna@greenpeace.org
Ankur Ganguly – Communications Manager, Greenpeace India,
+91-98453 73818 ankur.ganguly@greenpeace.org
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