88th Session
Theme:
Food, Nutrition and
Environmental Security
ADDRESS
by
Smt. Sheila Dikshit
Hon'ble Chief Minister, Delhi
INDIAN SCIENCE CONGRESS
ASSOCIATION
January 3, 2001
It is a matter of great happiness that the Indian Agricultural Research Institute has been given the honour of hosting the first major science event in the new millennium in the shape of Indian Science Congress to be inaugrated by the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India, Shri. Atal Bihari Vajpayee. This is also a privilege for the state of Delhi and I extend a very warm welcome to everyone who has come from every nook and corner of India. We are proud that this prestigious event is being held for the first time at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute popularly known as 'Pusa Institute' which is a premier institute of agricultural research, education and extension in the country. IARI has served the cause of science and society with distinction through high quality agricultural research, generation of appropriate technologies and development of technologies resources. In fact, the green revolution of the sixties was born here in the fields of iari. The development of high yielding varietiesof major crops which occupy vast areas throughout the country and their production technology have been the hall marks of the Institute's research. Over the years, IARI has excelled as a centre of higher education and training in agricultural sciences at national and international levels. Truely speaking, this Institute symbolises the growth of Indian Agriculture during past 100 years. Therefore, I strongly believe that an important step is being taken today by holding the Indian Science Congress at this Institute and hope that results of this would be of far reaching consequencesfor the benefit of Indian farmers.
The IARI has been maintaining close intercation with the State of Delhi by way of conducting programmes in national demonstrations since 1966 for the benefit of farmers which has acted as a pace setter for programmes in other parts of the country. The Institute has made a large number of farmers aware of the latest technologies through Krishi Vigyan Melas. The Institute has adopted many villages in the State of Delhi under the Institute-Village linkage programme initiating pilot projects and conducting training programme for farmers and farm women.
During the last few years the availabilityof agricultural land has declined tremendously and water sources have been exploited to more than the desired level. At the same time, commercialisation of agriculture has induced shifts in cropping patterns and resources use. This has implications on food security. The steady increase in human population and the decrease in the availability of arable land have caused environmental degradation of the resource base.
The reduced size of holdings in the semi-urban areas of Delhi has become uneconomical for traditional agricultutral activities. Thus, there is a vast scope for introduction of intensive cultivation of vegetables, flowers and adoption of post harvest technology and other agro based enterprise in urban settings of Delhi. Here also, the IARI has identified potential technologies for commercialisation and pilot testing under semi-arid urban settings.
I am very happy that the 88th session of the Indian Sceince Congress would be addressing important issues of Food, Nutrition and Environmental security and hope that the deliberations will conribute to the development of strategy and policies which will ensure food production that sustains the livelihood of the people of the country.
It is indeed an honour to the IARI and to the State of Delhi that many Nobel Laureates and eminent scientists from various countries would be presenting their papers in scientific sessions covering all areas of biological and physical sciences. Other highlight would be special programmes for the school and college students, ' Agro-Vision' (an international exhibition cum symposium on Food, Nutrition and Environment) and setting up of a Technology Park depicting technologies could be translated into economic returns and generations of self employment.
I hope that the orgnisation of the Indian Science Congress at the this juncture would be helpful in meeting the major challenge of providing access to food and nutritionla security at the household level to the Indian populatiin.
I extend my best wished for the success of the 88th Session of the Indian Science Congress.