Hyderabad: A Three Day International conference on Agriculture and Horticultural Sciences to began in city today at Hotel Radison Blue with a theme “Scientific Insight of Agricultural & Horticultural Research.” Organised by OMICS Group, a publishing giant that publishes 350 online open access science journals and organizes 100s of scientific events with the support from 150 more associations across the world, the meet is addressed by Padmashri Dr. E.A.Siddiq, Honorary Director, Institute of Biotechnology, Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University(ANGRAU), Hyderabad, Chief Guest and Dr. Mohan Kanda, Former Chief Secretary of Government of Andhra Pradesh, Former member of National Disaster Management Authority as  the Keynote Speaker, Dr. Alluri Padma Raju,Vice Chancellor of ANGRU and Dr. John Ryan, known as a soil scientist and Dr. Srinubabu Gedela, CEO of OMICS Group International.

Speaking on Food Nutrition Security and Advances in Agricuture and Horticulture Research, Mr. Rice, Padmasree Dr. E.A.Siddiq said India has made many technological advances in the field of Agriculture since Independence. These include Introduction of hybrid technology in maize and millets in mid 1950s, advent of semi-dwarf high yielding varieties of wheat and rice in mid 1960s, adoption of hybrid technology in rice since mid 1990s, introduction of exotic oilseed crops like sunflower and soybean and Hybrid technology in vegetable crops.

These technological advances impacted on Agricultural production.  As a result Food Grains grew five folds from 51 to 257 million tones, edible oil two folds from 6.5 to 14 million tonnes; vegetables and fruts fives folds from 15 to 75 million tonnes; Milk eight folds from 15 to 127 million tones said Dr. Siddiq. He gave demand projections of food commodities.  And said that the the present food grains production capacity can last till the year 2030 by then we need 340 million tonnes due to the explosion of population and the demand will rise to 460 million tones by the year 2050.  Similarly Edible oils requirement will grow to 24.7 million tonnes by 2030 and 39 million tonnes by 2050; Vegetables 243 million tonnes by 2030 and 375 million tonnes by 2050; fruits 181 million tonnes by 2030 and 325 million tonnes by 2050 and Milk 200 million tonnes by 2030 and 360 million tonnes by 2050 he said.

We don’t have land to produce more crops. All we need to do is to improve the yield, he observed. Giving balance sheet by the end of the 20th century, Dr. E.A. Siddiq said Over 240 million people remain undernourished,over 7000 die of hunger every day, about 60% women and children suffer from ‘hidden hunger’ (Protein malnutrition; Nutritional anaemia; low birth weight) and bout 40 thousand children go blind every year due to vitamin A deficiency.

Dr. Siddiq pointed out challenges in achiving future demand of Food Commodities.  Our Population growth is outpacing agricultural production.  Rapidly shrinking natural resource bases (water, soil health, PGR), Large rainfed area with no technology breakthrough for higher productivity, Persisting deficiency of pulses and edible oil, Unfolding adverse effects of climate change, Declining farm return forcing migration of rural people etc are some of the challenges he said.

He also gave opportunities to achieve future demands of food commodities. These include Wide gap between achievable and  farmer achieved yields.  There is a Scope for crop intensification. We have large underexploited rainfed shallow lowland and irrigated Boro rice ecologies. We have Underexploited  hybrid technology in Rice, Mustard and Pigeonpea. Also we have emerging innovative crop improvement technologies.

Speaking about yield gap he observed the gap between achievable and actual farmer achieved yields is quite wide across crops and ecologies (Eg. In irrigated rice it ranges between 25 and 49% and in wheat 1 to 2 t).  Yield gap analysis reveals differences in the compliance of recommended package of practices as the reason. So narrowing of the gap by 30-40% would enable add over 30 million tonnes annually. Also Integrated Crop Management (Modified form of System of Rice Intensification) will be found effective in narrowing the gap Dr. Siddiq said.

Earlier giving his address Mohan Kanda, the retired Chief Secretary of Government of Andhra Pradesh said the importance of agriculture to any society and economy has stayed undiminished over centuries.  A strong agricultural sector is necessary for food and the nutritional security as also for employment and for the welfare and wellbeing of the very large proportion of population all over the world.  Adding further he stated the challenges agriculture and farming in the 21st century is to feed a growing population using sustainable farming methods. Worldwide, 925 million people—almost 1 in 7 go to bed hungry everyday.   The chief task ahead, he said is to bridge the gap between agri production achievable and achieved to bridged.

Israel in 1994 spent 97.5% of ARO budget farmer contract driven. Therefore research, just as the other support systems of agriculture, needs to transit the current largely supply mode to a demand driven syndrome.  Based on my experience with agriculture and allied sectors for over three decades five magic spells in agriculture. They include: 1. The Agriculture research systems, 2. The System of Extention Services, 3. Credit Support, 4. Insurance Cover and 5. Market access, he said.

75% of the world’s poor live in a rural areas who depend on agriculture.  Agricultural production will need to increase by 70% by 2050 in order to feed 9 billion people, said Mr. Mohan Kanda.

During the inaugural OMICS Group unveiled its Annual Global Conferences Schedules which are in 100 in number are to be held in USA, China, Japan, Spain, Dubain and many other countries.

Several national and internationally reputed personalities in agriculture and Horticulture along with hundreds of Scientific associationa and organizations that are collaborating with OMICS International Inc are part of the meet representing research, advocacy, development, and technological innovation, deliberating key issues that would influence policy making and finds suitable solutions for the promotion of sustainable agricultural development.

250 delegates from India and abroad such as USA, Australia, South Africa, Canada, Madagaskar, Indonesia, Syria, Pakistan, Nigeria, Ehtiopia, Egypt, Armenia, Israel, Mexico, China, Kenya, Nepal, Serbia and many other countries are participating in the the meet.

The three day conference highlights include Crop Breeding and Genetics; Spices, Herbs and Medicinal Plants; Plant Biochemistry and Physiologyl; Crop Protection and Management; Agronomy and Soil Sciences; Tissue Culture and Plant Biotechnology; Agricultural Engineering and Technology; Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness; Horticulture, Floriculture & Forestry; Sustainable Practices for Agriculture; Agricultural Risk Management; Agricultural Extension

As rightly observed by professor M. S. Swaminathan, the eminent Indian agricultural scientist and father of the Green Revolution in India, feeding a nation like India with a population of 1.2 billion and providing food security, granting legal right to food for every Indian is not an easy and ordinary task observed Dr. Sirnubabu Gedela, CEO of OMICS Group.

The Conference is being organised in association with Centre for Good Governance, Indian Phytopathological Society.  Mr. J. Devi Prasad, Mentor, Organizing Committee of the Conference has coordinated on behalf of Centre for Good Governance.