The world–renowned scientist Dr. M.S.Swaminathan has stressed the need to set up a national regulatory body to mitigate the anxiety caused by genetically modified agricultural produce. He was chairing the plenary session on ‘Food and Nutritional security’ held as part of the 97th Indian Science Congress at Thiruvanathapuram.

Dr. Swaminathan said that the proposed regulatory body should have biological scientists, food technologists, agricultural scientists, medical professionals and policy makers as members. It should be a totally autonomous body.

Presenting his paper in the session, Dr. Prakash, Director, Central Food Technological Research Institute summed up the great threat posed by global warming on food & nutritional security of the country. The statistical evidence of global food price inflation leading to rise in malnutrition and child mortality opens up a new dangerous dimension, he said.

Source : Press Information Bureau
Date : January 05, 2010