Thaindian News

New Delhi, Mar.3 (ANI): The chairman of Syngenta AG, Martin Taylor, on Thursday said attaining food security is becoming a major challenge, and added that a solution was possible only through proper and efficient use of technology localized for the particular area.

Addressing an Interactive Session on “Achieving Food Security through Sustainable Agriculture”, organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Taylor stressed that: “We have technology that can produce enough with the existing land holdings to feed the world in the coming years. However the need is for proper dissemination of this technology.”

He further stated that an efficient model for technology transfer to farmers is through the extensive network of distributors, dealers and retailers on which the farmers depend to a great extent for advice.

Dr Swapan Dutta, Deputy Director General (Crop Science), Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR), said the challenge ahead is quality seeds production and efficient supply chain, dynamic and flexible agri - policy and efficient regulatory system for farmers benefit and public confidence, and adequate investment for commissioned projects relevant to increased food productivity.

He said the country needed a good environment for convergence of the private sector towards agri-industry keeping human face of economics leading to food security.

Stressing on the importance of information and communication technology in agriculture, Dr. Dutta said this tool will make agriculture more efficient and enable the farmer to get a reasonable price for his product.

Salil Singhal, Co-Chairman, CII National Council on Agriculture and Chairman and Managing Director PI Industries Limited, highlighted some of the key challenges in Indian agriculture like fragmented land holdings, agriculture extension problem, poor productivity, issues in agriculture marketing, regulatory constraints etc.

He said that there are three priority areas where private sector contribution will be critical in finding a solution to this huge challenge and where a partnership model is imperative to succeed.

First, science must be made a part of the solution. Second area of importance is research & development. The third area of priority must be on building access to the users and help them use the new technologies appropriately by providing training and inputs that will help improve the yield on farm.

Singhal said that the CII is actively working on various issues in agriculture in close collaboration with the government bodies in order to rejuvenate Indian agriculture and to overcome food security concerns. (ANI)