While the whole world including India is concerned over
food security, the food and health security in high altitude areas is
even more important in today’s context. Because of the harsh
environmental condition coupled with difficult terrain, even the basic
requirement is sometimes difficult to fulfill, said Mr. M Natarajan,
Scientific Advisor to Raksha Mantri, Secretary Defence R&D and DG R&D.
Inaugurating a four-day international conference on "Novel Approaches
for Food and Health Security in High Altitude" organized by Defence
Institute of High Altitude Research (DIHAR), an establishment of
Defence Research Development Organization (DRDO), on the eve of golden
jubilee of DRDO at Rinchen Auditorium Leh from 6-10 September 2008,
Mr. M Natarajan said that taking Ladakh as an example, the region is
strategically important and therefore there is heavy deployment of
troops. He said ensuring regular supply of fresh food is a major
challenge to all of us and above that due to harsh environmental
conditions, ensuring health security of the people living in this part
of the world is even more challenging. He said DRDO has been working
since its establishment towards ensuring food and health security of
the people of Ladakh and the troops deployed here.
"Several laboratories are entirely dedicated to make life easy for
people living in this environment. Though it’s a small institute with
just 17 scientists, it has contributed immensely towards meeting fresh
food availability and greening of Ladakh. The institute works in close
collaboration with the Indian army and the civil authority, that is
why its technology developed at this institute, has been successfully
transferred to the users," he said.
Giving an overview about the conference, Dr Shashi Bala Singh,
Director, DIHAR said the theme of the conference, which is ‘To enhance
performance and sustainable development at High Altitude’, is
exceedingly important in today’s context. The envisaged objectives of
this conference, she added, was to unravel the new approaches to
secure food and health security in high altitudes has got a paradigm
shift and an altogether new horizon through sustained and thought
provoking scientific sessions during this conference.
"We are witnessing global food crisis which has forced millions to go
hungry. Food becomes unavailable to millions due to soaring food
prices. I think scientific deliberations and outcome of the
conference would help us enhance our understanding of food and health
security in such harsh conditions of Ladakh," she added.
Appreciating the R&D (research and development) efforts of DRDO for
meeting the fresh food requirement of army which will equally
beneficial for boosting the socio-economic status of local farmers,
Mr. Chering Dorjay Executive Councillor, Ladakh Autonomous Hill
Development Council, Guest of honour of the function, said the
scientific deliberation during the conference will resolve some of
high altitude agro-animal problems viz. pashmina goats, utilization of
seabuckthorn etc.
Lt Gen VK Ahluwalia GOC, 14 Corps, highlighted the outstanding
contribution of DRDO especially Defence Institute of High Altitude
Research for yeomen services for armed forces as well as society of
the region. Due to various R&D activities on high altitude agriculture
viz vegetables, fruits, medicinal plants, cattle and poultry, zanskar
ponies, tree plantation farmers are meeting 56% fresh food requirement
of army. In addition Leh berry juice, DRDO herbal tea and Zanskar
ponies have been inducted in services. The greenhouse technology has
been well adopted and installed at various locations in ‘L’ sector
including Siachen.
After the inaugural function, the scientific sessions were started
with keynote speakers Dr Anil K. Gupta Professor IIM, Ahmadabad, a
noted grass root scientist and Dr B Bhatacharjee member NDMA. Dr.
Gupta delivered a key note address on "Peaks of performance:
Socio-ecology of adaptation and innovation in High Altitude areas"
while Dr Bhatacharjee presented his paper on "Food and Health security
in High Altitude- Back drop and challenges to R&D community".
Dr O P Chaurasia, senior scientist of Defence Institute of High
Altitude Research (DIHAR), while describing the scientific programmes
and highlights of sessions, said presentations were made on Plant &
Animal Physiology, Sustainable Animal Production systems, Health and
Environmental issues, Biomedical Research to improve Human Health,
Ethnobotany and Bioprospecting of Medicinal Plants, Food safety and
Post Harvest Technology and Dissemination and Adoption of
Technologies.
The eminent scientists viz Prof K R Koundal, Joint Director, IARI
delivered lecture ‘Biotechnology for enhancing crop productivity and
income’, Dr Agnes Rimando, USDA – ARS, USA, on ‘Pterostibele : from
blueberry with pharmacological properties’ Dr R C Sawhney, Director
Life Sciences DRDO on ‘Performance enhancement at high altitude by
herbs, Dr Rao Mentreddy, Professor, Alabama A & M Univ. USA on
‘Anecdote to research based validation : two case studies’, Dr Thomas
Terrill, Scientist Fort Valley State Univ. USA, Dr R B Srivastava,
Director, Defence Research Laboratory, Tezpur on ‘Challenges for food
and health security of soldier in North East India’, Dr Zakwan Ahmed
Director, Defence Agriculture Research Laboratory, Pithoragarh on
‘Crop Improvement programme for high altitude’ Dr Brahma Singh, WNRF &
WWF on ‘Indian high altitude horticulture development’ during plant
and animal sciences related sessions. Under the session on Health &
Environmental issues and Biomedical research for high altitude, the
eminent speakers’ viz. Dr Manas Mandal Director, Defence Institute of
Psychological Research, Delhi delivered lecture on ‘Cognititve
function at high altitude’, Dr V C Padaki, Director, Defence Bio
Engineering & Electro Medical Laboratory, Banglore on ‘Bio-Medical
systems for high altitude applications’, Dr Almaz Aldashev,
Kyrgyzstan, on ‘Genetics of high altitude pulmonary hypertension’. The
technical sessions were followed by Academia – Industry Interaction in
which several issues : fruit & vegetable processing and its vale
addition, quality seed production in high altitude environment,
seabuckthorn processing & its utilization and commercial cultivation
of high altitude medicinal plants were discussed.
The conference ended with valedictory address by Dr R C Sawhney,
Director Life Sciences DRDO, New Delhi and Dr Shashi Bala Singh,
Director, Defence Institute of High Altitude Research, Leh – Ladakh.
The other VIPs present on this occasion were Mr. Chering Dorjay
Executive Councillor, Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Lt
General VK Ahluwalia,General Officer-in Command, Leh-based 14 Corps,
Dr. B. Bhatacharjee, Member National Disaster Management Authority,
Major General Abhijeet Guha GOC 3 Infantary Div, Dr Anil Gupta
Professor IIM Ahmadabad, Mr. Ajeet Kumar Sahu, Deputy Commissioner,
Leh, and Dr. R.C. Sawhney, Director, Directorate of Life Sciences,
DRDO.
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