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Strengthen Plant Healthcare System to boost Food Security Posted by: Newsleaks July 8, 2014
By: Dr MP. Srivastava Food security has become a matter of serious concern due to ever-growing population, reduction in arable land, rising cost and huge losses due to diseases and other pests. Spoilage of food due to natural calamities, such as frost, hailstorm at maturity of the crop severely affects productivity. The recent hailstorms in certain parts of the country these days have caused a big set-back to the growers on their livelihood in particular and food security in general .
Plant diseases causing calamities Over and above, plant diseases are the biggest threat to food security. History is witness to the fact that several diseases in the past such as late blight of potato in 1845 was responsible for Irish famine causing death of about a million people and migration of over a million people to other countries. Sri Lanka once known for coffee plantation was devastated due to onslaught of coffee rust, affecting the economy of the people. Similarly Brown leaf spot of rice was responsible for Bengal famine in India in 1943. These are few selected diseases, which were responsible for wide-spread hunger and miseries in these countries and changed the history of mankind. Plant clinic towards plant health In general, plant pests, which include plant pathogen, insect-pests and weeds, are responsible for about 40% losses in food production. Saving crops from ravages of plant pests, helps in reducing losses, increasing agricultural production and thereby boosting food security. In most of the cases losses are due to lack of timely diagnosis and adoption of appropriate remedial measures to the growers. As such, farmers need to be empowered with modern innovative technology for pest control to reduce losses. Simultaneously we need to create and promote well-organized, farmer-centric plant clinic on lines of human clinic for providing diagnostic and advisory support on all matters pertaining to plant health and ailments free of cost. Infrastructure of Plant clinic Plant clinic should be ideally located at focal point, which is easily accessible to growers, The clinic should have well equipped lab with diagnostic facilities for diagnosis of insect-pests, diseases, weeds, disorders; exhibits of plant diseases and pests and their blow-ups, library and exhibition hall displaying blow-ups of diseases and exhibits, agro-input outlets; a toilet and cafÊ. Diagnosis is an experience driven process and therefore clinic should have well-experienced man power –pathologists, entomologist, agronomist and or edaphologist/soil scientist seated under one roof so that growers may not have to run from pillar to post. Role and working of plant clinic The clinics primary role lies in diagnosis of problem and suggesting suitable remedial measures. It should always be the endeavor of plant doctors to promote integrated pest management to minimize sole reliance on pesticides. However, if situation demands, pesticide may be recommended. Besides, clinic need to monitor pest scenario, issue pest alerts maintaining liaison with satellite channel/All-India Radio agricultural institutes and agricultural universities and agriculture department, keep a watch over alien and destructive pests; organize plant health camp to provide solution on prevailing problem; and train, educate and empower the farmers with latest know-how on field diagnosis and management through training, print and electronic media. Communication from clinic to farmer needs to be invigorated through telephony, SMS, email and field visit in case of serious outbreak of plant pests. In such cases mobile clinic should be brought into action.
Plant clinic scenario under National Horticulture Mission Though plant clinics exist in most of the agricultural universities, yet they have to be more organized like clinics for humans. National Horticulture Mission (NHM) of Government of India has come up in a big way towards creation of 128 Plant clinics in public and private sector by providing 20 lakh per clinic. Let us hope, these clinics provide uncompromising services to growers who are our food providers, the annadata. The clinics are required to promote integrated pest management and discourage overdependence on pesticides to save environment and public health. But under severe outbreak pesticides, may be employed for providing respite. Communication – the most effective tool reaching to the masses Communication plays an important role by reaching the farmers through mobile phones, toll free telephony, internet and printed literature to provide latest farmers friendly know-how and innovations in plant protection and plant clinical services. Plant Disease warning and Plant Pathology Courier released in Haryana Agricultural University decades ago by the author, need to be continued. By empowering farmers, productivity can be increased, losses ca be reduced and bring smile on the faces of growers, strengthening food security. Information may also be sought online as is being provided so that farmers may not have to move from pillar to post. Information may also be provided online towards diagnosis and remedies on plnt pests and knowledge to students/teachers & farmers through web portal as is provided throughwww.xsgrowth.com free cost by Dr Srivastava. If we really want to minimize losses from onslaught of plant pests, the plant clinics must be kept on priority and need to be developed on lines of clinics for humans. Creation of plant clinics will not only help growers in getting right diagnosis of ailing plants or crops but will create job opportunities and plant doctors will command the same respect as physicians command in the society. Let everyone come forward, join the cause and provide healing touch to the growers by empowering him with innovative techniques to minimize losses. Hope for the Future The time has come that plant clinics should receive the same status as human and veterinary clinics. Initiative has to be made towards creation of well organized clinics modeled on human clinics at district and subdivision level like primary health centre, so that farmers may not have to move from pillar to post seeking diagnostic and advisory support which I advocated in Beijing China in August last while delivering a keynote address on “Plant Clinics Hold key to Food Security in Asia� Establishment of plant health clinics shall go a long way in diagnosing the pests and mitigating losses and bring smile on the faces of farmers strengthening food security.
About The Author Dr M P Srivastava, is a former Director Planning and Professor & Head Plant Pathology of CCS Haryana Agricultural University, who is an authority on plant health and is credited with creating global awareness on plant health clinic by delivering lectures in India and abroad, organizing a special Session on Pant Health Clinic at 9th International Congress of Plant Pathology at Turin, Italy 2008 polarizing world opinion towards creation of farmer-centric clinic providing free diagnostic and advisory support on plant health and ailments. Lately through his Keynote Address at 10th International Congress at Beijing on 29th August, 2014, he called upon Asian nations for creation of well organized clinic at district and subdivision level like primary health strengthening plant health