Claiming that behind the notion of surplus food in the country, 200 million people go undernourished, renowned agricultural scientist M S Swaminathan Thursday insisted that the distressed farm sector needs a second green revolution to overcome technology fatigue and sluggish growth.
"We are surviving today only because 200 million people are undernourished. If everyone is properly nourished, there would not be any surplus," Swaminathan, chairman of the National Commission for Farmers, said in New Delhi.
"The mood in the farming community is same as in the 1960s. Farm sector growth is lagging, farmers are committing suicide and the National Sample Survey says that people are willing to leave farming," the agricultural scientist said.
"Once again we have to go on the path of a green revolution and take agriculture from a stage of distress to progress," said Sawminathan who heralded a green revolution in the country about three decades back.
Observing that agriculture in the country was at a critical stage, Swaminathan expressed concern over the slow rate of growth in the sector which had fallen below the rate of population growth.
"There is a technology fatigue among farmers. They are wondering whether we are making progress," he said adding the forthcoming annual Indian Science Congress would focus on the theme of integrated rural development and the role of science and technology.
He also expressed apprehension over the government plans to bring over one crore hectares of land under irrigation.
"There are reports that land water resoruces in most parts of the country are over exploited," he said.
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