Bonjour, new guests from small-town India
Puneet Dhawan of Accor is brimming with ideas on ways to revive the hospitality sector
Climate change can affect the availability of food because of frequent floods, drought and disruption in agriculture and changes in yield, availability of arable land and water for agriculture, said Bishow Parajuli, Representative and Country Director, the World Food Programme of the UN-India.
“Climate change can act as a high risk multiplier exacerbating the drivers of food insecurity,” Parajuli said, adding, “It could lead to decreased productivity, changes in frequency and intensity of climate related hazards resulting in a humanitarian and food security crisis.”
He was addressing the session on ‘Impact of climate on food security/agriculture: Regional perspective and need for regional approach’ at the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation Annual conference titled, Science for Resilient Food, Nutrition and Livelihoods: Contemporary Challenges on Saturday.
Noting that the impact of climate change is already evident in many parts of the world and in India, cyclones in Odisha and floods in Kerala are some examples of this phenomenon.
Parajuli served in 11 countries in his nearly four decade career with the United Nations. Prior to the Indian assignment, he was the Resident Coordinator of UNDP in Zimbabwe.
He said Zimbabwe, which was once surplus food producer, witnessed cyclical drought in three out of the last five years.
Sharing a World Bank estimate, Parajuli said, climate change could push 62 million people to extreme poverty by 2030.
“High reliance on climate sensitive livestock and agriculture, high incidence of food insecurity and poverty population, high sensitivity of population exposed to climate related floods, cyclones and drought are extreme vulnerabilities of climate change,” he said.
Noting that climate change is here to stay, Parajuli said, countries should learn to adapt to climate change and find ways to prepare themselves and develop early warning systems.
“In India, some of the safety net programmes like Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), Mid-day Meal scheme and POSHAN Abhiyaan are some excellent examples of safety net support to vulnerable populations but more needs to be done like micro nutrients, diversification of food etc,” the UN official said.
He also lauded professor MS Swaminathan, agricultural universities, research institutes, agri scientists and farmers for turning the country from a food deficit to surplus one.
“India has a surplus of 75-80 million tons this year alone which is a very big achievement,” Parajuli said but added that a bit of sad news is also that globally 690 million people are hungry, out of which over half the population are in Asia and a quite significant number is from India.
“The mere availability of food supply is not enough to address hunger, the crucial aspect is affordability, adequate nutritional availability and the livelihood part of it,” he added.
Puneet Dhawan of Accor is brimming with ideas on ways to revive the hospitality sector
Citroen’s first vehicle sports a novel design and European interiors. It is also meant to be as comfortable as ...
The pandemic is only the tip of the iceberg that the country’s cash-poor airlines — both regional and national ...
The government is yet to specify the framework of its recently announced old vehicle scrappage policy
Here is a checklist that equips you to discern the market nuances
Sensex, Nifty 50 have witnessed sharp decline
The fund has consistently outperformed S&P BSE 100 TRI over one, three and five years
Returns are superior to immediate annuity plans, but SCSS can secure better rates for new investors sooner if ...
With the public looking beyond mainstream media for reports from the ground, independent digital platforms are ...
While Supreme Court has cleared the way for women seeking longer tenures and senior roles in the Indian Army, ...
Mughal Gardens in the Capital open to visitors — albeit with Covid-19 protocol — for the annual Udyanotsav
Salty, buttery, cheese coated or with maple syrup and bacon — popcorn is lending its adaptable self to gourmet ...
Its name is the starting point of a brand’s journey and can make a big difference in the success sweepstakes
Sober spirits are the in thing
A peek into where ad spends went last year and where they are headed tomorrow
Can Swiggy Instamart disrupt the ecommerce groceries space, currently ruled by the Amazons and Big Baskets? ...
Three years after its inception, compliance with GST procedures remains a headache for exporters, job workers ...
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives of companies are altering the prospects for wooden toys of ...
Aequs Aerospace to create space for large-scale manufacture of toys at Koppal
And it has every reason to smile. Covid-19 has triggered a consumer shift towards branded products as ...
Please Email the Editor