New Delhi/Chandigarh 25 April:
A two-day international seminar was organised at Dr Ambedkar International Centre in the national capital, New Delhi, on the impact of climate change on food security. Mr. Bal Mukund Sharma, Chairman of Punjab State Food Commission, participated in this seminar.
Addressing the seminar, Mr. Sharma said that climate change is emerging as a very big challenge for the whole world. He said that it is causing water crisis as the earth’s temperature is increasing rapidly and glaciers are melting.
He said that the Punjab Government has taking several steps to save water resources and climate under which priority was being given to sustainable farming, diversification and sowing of crops that consume less water. He said that Punjab had suffered a lot by over-explolating its natural resources to feed the entire country, especially paddy cultivation which had caused huge damage to ground water level, soil health besides environmental damage through excessive production of green gases and carbon.
Mr Sharma said that continuous efforts were being made by the Punjab government to avoid the effects of climate change, for which, apart from growing forests, special financial assistance is being provided for direct sowing of paddy, 33 percent subsidy on BT cotton seeds and Rs 500 crore is being spent on the purchase of stubble management machines.
He also emphasized that along with food security, we should all work together for nutrition security and a campaign should be prepared in this direction, through which “nutrition gardens” based on vegetables, fruits and herbal plants should be prepared in schools and Anganwadis. He added that children would be make aware of the importance of nutrition at an early age, while these beneficial vegetables and herbal plants like curry leaves, mint, drumstick etc. can also become a part of the mid-day meal given to them.
