In a situation, where less than 20% of youth are involved in agriculture, making farming financially viable and attractive to youth, is the key to attracting them, said experts at a consultation at M S Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) in Chennai today.

When Pratishtha Prakash Bhere, woman farmer from Maharashtra spoke she needed a translator for the 300-plus international audience to understand.

The need to have a co-ordinated approach to across the Asia Pacific region to tackle hunger and malnutrition, was the main theme that emerged from the speakers at the International Conference on Family Farming on achieving the Zero Hunger Challenge held at M S Swaminathan Foundation in Chennai today.

Chennai, August 7, 2014: Ministerial delegates from the Asia-Pacific Region and over 200 senior diplomats, academicians and representatives from international and national organizations gather in Chennai today, for a four-day consultation on “Achieving the Zero Hunger Challenge” at M S Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF). The consultation is organized in the context of the UN “International Year of Family Farming” (IYFF) being observed this year. MSSRF is organizing the event in partnership with Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada, World Food Programme (WFP), International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD), Department for International Development (DFID) UK, UN Women, Small Farmers’ Agribusiness Consortium other national and international agencies. Key Speakers at the Consultation include: Kanayo F. Nwanze, President of IFAD Ertharin Cousin Executive Director, United Nations World Food Programme Hiroyuki Konuma, FAO Regional Representative for Asia-Pacific Shenggen Fan, Director General, IFPRI Estrella Penunia, Secretary General, Asian Farmers’ Association Dr Mahmoud Solh, ICARDA, Director General Hoonae Kim, Director Asia and the Pacific, IFAD Ms. Lise Grande, UN Resident Coordinator & UNDP Resident Representative in India Prof. M.S. Swaminathan, Emeritus Chairman and Chief Mentor, MSSRF Dr. Rebecca Reichman Tavares, Regional Representative, UN Women Dr. Pravesh Sharma, Managing Director, SFAC Mr. Torben Due, India Country Director, WFP Dr. Peter E. Kenmore, Representative in India, FAO Thiru Agri S. S. Krishnamoorthy, Agriculture Minister, Tamil Nadu delivers a special address and releases the report of MSSRF for the year. Speaking about the event recently, Professor M S Swaminathan, Founder and Chief Mentor, MSSRF, referred to this as “the largest-ever gathering of ministerial delegates and experts, in recent years” and emphasized the importance of the IYFF. “Family farming offers an effective and economic solution to help meet the challenge of making sure that each person has access not just to calories but to nutritious food. With an estimated 500 million family farms across the world, we are looking at the role 2 billion people play, in achieving nutrition security.” The conference consists of 5 plenary sessions dealing with themes of sustainability, gender, profitability, nutrition and technology in relation to family farming. State Agriculture Minister Thiru Agri Krishnamurthy, ministers /ministerial delegates from Afghanistan, Australia, Cambodia, Fiji, Maldives, Nepal, Samoa, Sri Lanka and Vietnam are participating. With an estimated 8 billion mouths to feed by 2025, experts at the consultation will come up with a Chennai Declaration with recommendations for Governments and stakeholders in the region. Established in 1988, with proceeds from the First World Food Prize that Professor Swaminathan received in 1987, MSSRF applies science and technology options to address practical problems faced by rural populations in agriculture, food and nutrition, impacting livelihood of 100,000 farmers and fisherfolk every day with influence that spreads across 18 countries. For more information contact: Jayashree, Head – Media Resource Centre, (+91 44) 22541698, (+91) 9840050444, info@mssrf.res.in www.mssrf.org/iyff Twitter @mssrf

The need to have a co-ordinated approach to across the Asia Pacific region to tackle hunger and malnutrition, was the main theme that emerged from the speakers at the International Conference on Family Farming on achieving the Zero Hunger Challenge held at M S Swaminathan Foundation in Chennai today. 

A mobile application of the M S Swaminathan Research Foundation that helps fisherfolk manage their livelihood better with information on weather, schemes, potential catch and borders has been awarded the mBillionth South Asia Award 2014. Supported by Qualcomm and in partnership with Tata Consultancy Services, the app developed by MSSRF was selected from among 300 entries from 9 South Asian countries.

A three-pronged action plan was suggested by experts and various stakeholders to address the issue of occupation-related health ailments among salt workers. This was the result of a consultative meeting held at the M S Swaminathan Research Foundation here today.

Distinguished plant scientist, Dr Sanjaya Rajaram is the winner of the prestigious World Food Prize for 2014.

If you have just written your Class X exams and have a keen interest in nature, here is a green opportunity for you. The M S Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) has announced an essay contest on “What can we do to address the issue of climate change” that will help select students for their annual camp on biodiversity, climate change and biotechnology.

In a forum, where farmers from eights states across the country, rubbed shoulders with international experts, speakers stressed the need to give much more importance to farmers.

It is the centenary year of the person who has been referred to as “the man who saved a billion lives”.