The workshop aimed to provide a platform for all stakeholders to outline the opportunities in biofortified crops in eradicating malnutrition and deliberate on actions required at the policy and operational level to unleash the potential of biofortified crops in the country.
LUCKNOW: Additional chief secretary, agriculture, government of UP, Devesh Chaturvedi said on Wednesday that private and government agencies needed to work together to bring out many more improved crop varieties.
The speakers also discussed the need for sustained and focused attention on the biofortified crop sector through policy and financial support . (Pic for representation)
Addressing a workshop on ‘Biofortification - A pathway to improve India’s nutritional outcomes’, organized by FICCI here, Chaturvedi said, “We need to ensure that the soil health does not decrease.”
The conference aimed to provide a platform for all stakeholders to outline the opportunities in biofortified crops in eradicating malnutrition and deliberate on actions required at the policy and operational level to unleash the potential of biofortified crops in the country.
The speakers also discussed the need for sustained and focused attention on the biofortified crop sector through policy and financial support to accelerate its development in a sustainable, responsible, inclusive and equitable manner.
The conference brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including senior government officials, scientists, farmers, researchers and industry leaders, to discuss the opportunities and challenges in eradicating malnutrition through biofortified crops.
SK Dora, chief general manager of NABARD, Uttar Pradesh in his keynote address, said, “In India, 14% of people are malnourished. A large percentage of children is under weight and many women are anaemic. This has brought to light the problem of hidden hunger. By increasing the micronutrients in food grains, we can address the hidden hunger problem on a large scale.”
He stressed that biofortified grains would fulfill requirement of vitamins A, iron and zinc.