World Pulses Day 2022: Dr. Ashok Dalwai Shares his views on 'Pulses To Empower Youth in Achieving Sustainable Seed Production, Distribution & Agri-Food System"

Pulses have a great history, having been an important source of nutrition for humans and animals for over ten thousand years. Their importance was established, however, when, as a result of hunger, poverty, and food shortages, the world's concern evolved to include new goals such as feeding a large population with a healthy, sanitary, and adequate diet.

World Pulses Day this year is celebrated for the fourth time on 10th February 2022 (Thursday) with the theme, "Pulses to empower youth in achieving sustainable agri-food systems”.

This year’s FAO theme for World Pulses Day is “Pulses to empower youth in achieving sustainable agri-food systems”. In the above context, Krishi Jagran have organized a Live session on “Pulses to Empower Youth in Achieving Sustainable Seed Production, Distribution & Agri-Food System”. This session took place on 10th February 2022 (2:00 PM onwards).

Dr. Ashok Dalwai, Chief Executive Officer, National Rainfed Area Authority (NRAA), Ministry of Agriculture, GOI, was the Chief Guest of the session. During the session, Dr. Dalwai said the food systems that had evolved in different parts of the world were disrupted in the 20^th Century.

He further said the food systems in most parts of the world were in-sync with the seasonal patterns, and therefore the respective outputs of various seasons constituted the dietetic patterns of the people.

The achievements that we have made in the last six years is very impressive and it has been mainly due to the following:

• First is to Back-up science & technology in the support of policy framework and the response of the farmers. As technologies back-up, a mission mode approach that our ministry adopted, it has supported the ICAR in establishing 150 seed hubs across the country. So, that the farmers have easier access to improved cultivars.

• Second is the partnership of the Indian Institute of Pulse Research & ICAR with various international bodies and as policy reform, the major support came through improved minimum support price (MSP) and more assured procurement. Now, the MSP for pulses has increased relative to 2018 phenomena and also relative to other crop segments.

• Therefore, procurement operations have rolled to a new scheme called “PM ASHA”. Procurement based on higher MSPs has served the farmers as a good incentive.

• And, the third is the response of the farmer, that they started accessing & utilizing certified seeds of the pulses and also adopted micro-irrigation in certain places and then they have tried to shift there cultivation practices to where is moisture is available.

Note:

To watch the live discussion & to know the highlights of the whole session, we request you to kindly visit the Official Facebook Page of Krishi Jagran or Click Here, to have a direct glimpse of the session.