Ensure that science becomes the bottomline for all development programmes while meeting the basic human needs.

By 2020, we must aim to have a "rainbow revolution" which will make India free of poverty, hunger and malnutrition and an environmentally safe country. This could only be accomplished through agriculture in a farming systems mode.

Extend gains to areas bypassed by the green revolution like vast dry farming areas (around 65 per cent) through watershed management programme taking full advantage of hybrid technology, and selective small farm mechanization.

Major initiatives are to be taken to establish Agri-clinics, which could provide requisite services emphasizing internet-linked information services.

For orchestrating interactive rural development process, formation of consortia at each district level involving all the concerned Government Organization/Institutions/Departments on one hand and the NGOs, Farmer's Organization, Panchayati Raj Institutions and Private sector on the other will be highly advantageous.

Have an aggressive "target group" oriented population management approach in future. Improvement in literacy in general and female literacy in particular be given the highest priority, whereas nutrition programmes in schools be further strengthened.

There is a need to sensitize and educate the women regarding nutrition management of the family units specially the vulnerable like children, nursing mothers and elderly persons in the family.

For healthy food and nutrition, traditional and alternate nutritious food crops, including underutilized crops and new designer crops, need to be promoted.

Problem of micro-nutrient deficiency could potentially be alleviated through backyard agriculture, involving vegetable gardening, dairying, poultry and small non-ruminant animal rearing.

We need to launch a three prolonged innovative strategy aiming at efficient management of our food surplus. The food surplus could be harnessed for: (i) distribution to people below poverty line, (ii) building rural infrastructure, and (iii) generation of employment for the rural poor.

Develop appropriate technologies for large scale production of traditional food, value added health foods etc. by products utilization, quality testing etc.

Invest 2 per cent of national GDP on S&T in next 5 years..

Enhance investment in agricultural R&D to at least 2 per cent of agricultural GDP to achieve the targetted 4 per cent growth in agriculture as envisioned in National Agricultural Policy and for the Xth Five Year Plan.

Transform our scientific institutions into "new age" institutions characterized by availability of competent human resource, efficient work culture, best possible infrastructure, responsiveness and cost effectiveness.

Unshackle Governance of research and higher educational institutions from bureaucratic controls.

Rural oriented policies need to be formulated with focus on land reforms, institutional credit, public capital formation, and a safety net for the poor.

Develop effective mechanisms to attract bright students for higher studies in science and also future career in scientific research. There is need to take science to the schools, people and farmers.

Networking multiple technologies for nation building with agriculture and food processing, power, education and health care, information technology and strategic sectors like nuclear, space and defence technology will be necessary.

Precision farming, being intellectually stimulating and economically rewarding, oriented towards market with systems diversification and value addition, need to be promoted further in order to make farming an attractive proposition and to attract and retain rural youth in both the agri-business and in farming operations.

Revamp agricultural extension system with a dedicated cadre of extension agents who are competent and conversant with new technological advances in agriculture related areas including IPNM, IPM etc.

To cope with the new WTO regime, we need to improve efficiency of domestic production, processing and marketing, new institutional mechanism for international market intelligence, quick action on tariffs and dumping besides aggressively negotiating on subsidies in developed agriculture, SPS and social clauses in the forthcoming trade talks.

Create a "livelihood box" while re-negotiating during forthcoming WTO talks to allow developing countries to impose quantitative restrictions on the import of agricultural commodities if these are likely to destabilize livelihood opportunities.

Take fresh initiatives to forge new alliance between the academics and industrial enterprises on one hand and between teaching and research institutions on the other.

The key elements or "Panch Sutras" to accomplish the vision for food, nutrition and environment security by 2020 will centre around people, productivity, permanency, policy and partnership. Hence, new initiatives to address all these 5 Ps would be critical for our future growth and development.