HARD FACTS OF TODAYS WORLD

What is Hunger
On average, the body needs more than 2,100 kilocalories per day per person to allow a normal, healthy life For weeks, even months, its victims must live on significantly less than the recommended 2,100 kilocalories that the average person needs to lead a healthy life. The body compensates for the lack of energy by slowing down its physical and mental activities. A hungry mind cannot concentrate, a hungry body does not take initiative, a hungry child loses all desire to play and study. Hunger also weakens the immune system. Deprived of the right nutrition, hungry children are especially vulnerable and become too weak to fight off disease and may die from common infections like measles and diarrhoea. By 2001-2003, the total number of undernourished people worldwide had risen to 854 million and the latest figure is 925 million

Why does Hunger Exist?

Nature Natural disasters such as floods, tropical storms and long periods of drought are on the increase due to climatic change and global warming. War Destruction of food and livestock and systematically wrecking local markets, and Fields and water wells are often mined or contaminated Poverty
Farmers often cannot afford seed to plant the crops No land or water or education to lay the foundations for a secure future. Lack of Agricultural Infrastructure Enough roads, warehouses and irrigation. The results are high transport costs, lack of storage facilities and unreliable water supplies Over-exploitation of environment Poor farming practices, deforestation, overcropping and overgrazing exhaust the fertility of land Threat from erosion, salination and desertification.

WATER SCARCITY

350
300 250 200 291 241.6

342

POPULATION (IN CRORES)

196.81 176.39

148.48 134.08 150 82.02 129.59 118.21 108.43 101.76 85.05 100 50.82 69.04 55.5 44.58 50 36.98 0

TOTAL FOOD GRAIN PRODUCTION( MILLION TONNES)

1990-91

2010-11

1950-51

1960-61

1970-71

1980-81

2000-01

2020-21

2030-31

WATER SCARCITY

What is sustainability?
IT IS IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF HUMAN LIFE WHILE LIVING WITHIN THE CARRYING CAPACITY OF SUPPORTING ECO-SYSTEMS

Food security lab to land

The problem before us is how to feed billions of new mouths over the next several decades and save the rest of life at the same time, without being trapped in a Faustian bargain that threatens freedom from security. The benefits must come from an evergreen revolution. The aim of this new thrust is to lift food production well above the level attained by the green revolution of the 1960s, using technology and regulatory policy more advanced and even safer than now in existence - Edward O. Wilson, 2002 The Future of life

No Time to Relax Shaping our Agricultural Future

Population rich but land hungry countries like China and India have no option except to produce more food grains and other agricultural commodities per units of land and water under conditions of diminishing per capita availability of arable land and irrigation water, and of expanding biotic and abiotic stresses. Such a challenge can be met only by harnessing the best in frontier technologies and blending them with our rich heritage of ecological prudence. Ecotechnologies for an Ever-green revolution should be the bottom line of our strategy to shape our agricultural future.

Biotechnology
Biotechnology and GM Crops Genetically modified soya bean? Centre for Science and EnvironmentGenetically-modified (GM) crops, in which a gene of desired characteristic is transposed from one plant to another, are the most extreme and controversial output of the biotechnology companies. Although the technology has so far concentrated on overcoming weeds and pests, it has potential to respond to nutritional needs or drought and salinity brought on by climate change. Claiming higher yields, and lower chemical inputs, GM crops feature prominently in macro-solutions to the global food crisis. However, the technology depends on capital intensive farming and the intellectual property rights are held by a small nucleus of corporations dominated by Monsanto. These characteristics have limited appeal in the poorest countries whose farmers are accustomed to the right to save their own seeds. Very few countries in Africa have adopted GM crops and 2010 saw thelandmark rejection of a modified aubergine plant by the Indian government.

Organic Farming v/s Green Revolution farming

Farming practices that maintain and increase long-term soil fertility and prevent pest and diseases. In traditional rain-fed agriculture (with low-input external inputs), organic agriculture has the potential to increase yields. Multiple cropping systems, such as those developed by small holders and subsistence farmers, show higher yields in terms of total harvest per unit area

Effect of chemical pollutants and adulterants on Food and food products

The way ahead

Our ability to achieve a paradigm shift from green to an ever-green revolution and our ability to face the challenges of global warming and sea level rise will depend upon our ability to harmonise organic farming and the new genetics.