India should initiate a plant health initiative: Prof Ajay Sood

New Delhi, Aug 22 While the One Health Mission has primarily concentrated on human, animal and wildlife health due to their distinct value chains, plant health also requires dedicated attention, according to Professor Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the government.

Charing the 28th Prime Minister’s Science, Technology and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC) meeting here to discuss the National Plant Health Initiative (NPHI), Professor Sood emphasised the critical importance of initiating a focused Plant Health Initiative, and given India’s deep reliance on agriculture, “this topic is particularly relevant in the Indian context”.

Prof. Sood highlighted that the present ecosystem offers a strategic opportunity to advance this initiative. Significant investments in institutional capacity building, especially through ICAR, combined with the maturity of advanced technologies and India's success in developing digital public infrastructure and open architectures, provide a strong foundation for progress in this field.

Dr VK Saraswat, Member (S&T), NITI Aayog, emphasised the critical importance of the Plant Health Initiative, noting that agricultural losses have a direct and detrimental effect on farmers' income and overall productivity.

He highlighted the growing challenges posed by climate change, as well as biotic and abiotic threats to plant health, underscoring the need for proactive preparedness and the development of effective mitigation strategies.

Dr Saraswat further emphasised the necessity of advancing research and innovation, with particular attention to the integration of platforms that facilitate a comprehensive and holistic approach including strong data integration and analytical capabilities.

Dr Ramesh Chand, Member (Agriculture), NITI Aayog, emphasised that the concept of "One Health" is incomplete without safeguarding the health of both plants and livestock.

He underscored the efficient utilisation of natural resources to promote sustainable agriculture. He further noted that preventive measures such as maintaining high standards in seed quality and implementing clean plant programs are highly effective in promoting plant health, with the added advantage of being free from adverse side effects.

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