Increasing population and declining productivity may lead to food shortage in future

Updated on: Friday, December 28, 2012

Emphasising the need to undertake more innovative research work, a senior science academician said shortage of food could be a major concern in India because of increasing population and declining productivity.

Agra University's chemistry department head Dr G C Saxena said while addressing a conference of scientists that began here that "The scientists now have to work on these problems. To find out solutions for global warming and per hectare more crop yield amid increasing population are the real challenges for them."

Also, finding solutions for air, water and soil pollution are the other main challenges for scientists, Saxena said. "The research works are helpful only if a large number of people are benefited," he expressed.

He was addressing over 500 scientists taking part in the 31st annual conference of Indian Council of Chemists (ICC) hosted by Saurashtra University here.

"The ICC was founded in 1981 with the prime objective of promoting chemists research works in the country but even now the organisation's aim remains the same as India has slipped to 118th place in terms of research works at the international level, he said.

"Most of the research works are done for getting a degree, but now it is need of the time that scientists undertake quality research works," he emphasised.

"The education of chemistry should be improved more in the country if we (scientists) want to consider India as a developed nation," he said.

The three-day annual conference hosted by Saurashtra University is being supported by ICC and Gujarat Council of Science and Technology.

Padma Bhushan awardee Prof Sukhdev is scheduled to deliver key lecture tomorrow on the importance of research works done in chemistry for the benefit of human beings.

Increasing population and declining productivity may lead to food shortage in future

More Education news