PM emphasizes role of agriculture in improving health and nutrition-Need to modernise agri marketing: PM ‎February 13, 2011

PM emphasizes role of agriculture in improving health and nutrition


by Varma - February 13, 2011


While reviewing the country’s nutrition index, polices, and strategies, the Prime Minister emphasized the role of integrated farming that promotes growing food grains, mulch cattle, and horticulture to meet nutritional needs of poor people.
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While reviewing the country’s nutrition index, polices, and strategies, the Prime Minister emphasized the role of integrated farming that promotes growing food grains, mulch cattle, and horticulture to meet nutritional needs of poor people.

In a conference on ‘Leveraging agriculture for improving nutrition and health’ in New Delhi, the Prime Minister said, “Nutrition and health are issues are particularly topical today as the world faces rising food prices in many countries and there is growing recognition that climate change may endanger food security in many developing countries.

"Leveraging agriculture for improving nutrition and health, which is the central theme of this conference, is particularly important in developing countries where agriculture is also the mainstay of a very large number of people.”

The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) organized the conference as part of International Policy Consultation.

Malnutrition: stark and severe
As Amartya Sen’s work shows, India has more malnourished people, especially children, than sub-Saharan Africa has. Nearly one billion go hungry globally. One in four children under the age of five is underweight.

In spite of government's efforts, malnutrition, and its deadly effects, stalks various lands. The hidden hunger, which is defined as deficiency of essential vitamins, minerals like iron, is severe in parts of India and the world.

Rapid growth in agriculture will not only meet the nutritional needs of the poor and disadvantaged people but also improve access and availability.

The Prime Minister added, “We need to address the issues of absorption of nutrition, health and hygiene, which in turn depend on many other factors such as the availability of clean drinking water, sanitation and also on the education and status of women in society.

"We do not see agricultural development as the only element in our strategy but it is nonetheless a key part of any viable strategy.”

What Indian government is doing?
The Indian government’s priority, according to PM, is to ensure food security, which in turn requires self-sufficiency. He said that the government focused on adequate production of cereals and pulses because they are the staple food.

The government is supporting specific programs like ‘Eastern Region Development Programs’ to explore ways of better agricultural productivity and market access. The ‘National Food Security Mission’, launched five years ago, spreads the best practices in different areas and states.

The PM also noted that agriculture is getting more feminised with high participation of women, which can lead to reduction in malnutrition.