Swaminathan lauds countrymen for tackling COVID-19 spread

The "Father of India's green revolution", M S Swaminathan, lauded the efforts of the people of the country in combatting the spread of COVID-19 and coping with the ongoing lockdown on Tuesday. Talking to PTI over the phone from Chennai, the 94-year-old agricultural scientist said, "My view is that the lockdown has been handled as well as one could have." The consequences of the nationwide lockdown, in particular on migrant and landless laborers, however, should have received anticipatory action, he said.

"The coming together of the people of India in managing the COVID-19 spread is commendable," Swaminathan said. According to the former Rajya Sabha member, the farming sector is doing well "largely because of our farmers".

"What it requires is greater attention at the level of post-harvest technology. Pricing and purchase policy should also be pro-small farmers," he said. "I would only like to remind ourselves that if agriculture goes wrong, nothing else will have a chance to go right," the geneticist added.

The agricultural scientist, who heads the renowned M S Swaminathan Research Foundation in Chennai, pointed out that agriculture is a source of livelihood for over 40 per cent of India's population and over 50 per cent of its rural women. Integrated assistance in the field of technology and public policy should be provided to agriculture, he said.