Evergreen revolution pill for N-E

The Telegraph , Monday, January 05, 2009
Correspondent : - Rooting for nature ANUPAM BORDOLOI & E.M. JOSE
Shillong, Jan. 4: The region today found a new mantra for conservation — evergreen revolution.

The father of India’s green revolution, M.S. Swaminathan, also described as the Father of Economic Ecology by the UN, put forward the concept for the region to adopt to preserve its rich bio-diversity.

Swaminathan, who delivered a lecture on the second day of the National Science Congress on the North Eastern Hill University (Nehu) campus here today, sent out a strong message to the policy-makers and the people of the Northeast, putting the issue in clear perspective.

His PowerPoint presentation, peppered with vivid images from across the region, was a documentary by itself of the Northeast’s rich flora and fauna.

However, he warned that if conservation efforts were not speeded up, the region would be left a very poor place. Swaminathan’s message was the highlight of a day, which also saw the country’s youngest MP Agatha Sangma making a strong case for controlling climate change by adopting a simpler lifestyle.

The organisers today said former President A.P.J. Abul Kalam has cancelled his visit to the science congress tomorrow because of “ill health”.

Swaminathan impressed all those present with his knowledge of the region. “Evergreen revolution would mean the need to carry out organic agriculture, maintaining the ecology of the Northeast,” he said, explaining that every species of flora was precious and needed care. “The Northeast is one of the 12 mega-bio diversity areas of the country and this itself indicates the urgency of tapping the region’s potential by the indigenous communities.”

Stressing the need to empower the farming community, he said a majority of the 80 per cent of the population depended on agriculture and allied sectors for their livelihood.

The concept of evergreen revolution could be achieved if the farmers were given inputs to produce a variety of agricultural and horticultural products, which were unique to the region, he said.

He also called for tapping floriculture in the Northeast, as the orchids and other flowers are in high demand in India and abroad. He said orchids are believed to have evolved in the region. “Of the 1,300 species belonging to 158 genera reported from India, the Northeast has the highest concentration with nearly 700 species of orchids.”

The scientist also said as many as 34 species of orchids from the region are listed among the threatened plants of India.He stressed the need to conserve the vanishing species — both flora and fauna — saying that these are needed for the ecology of the region.

He also mentioned the “sacred groves” of Meghalaya — the community-preserved trees — and said this concept of local conservation tradition could be used to create a herbal bio-valley.

The scientist added that the state government must take up large-scale rainwater harvesting in Sohra (Cherrapunjee) which is known as a “wet desert” despite having abundant rainfall.

Swaminathan also shared the spotlight with Agatha Sangma, during a panel discussion on Societal and Technological Response to Climate Change.

Agatha made a forceful statement on climate change and spoke on how modern lifestyle was affecting the ecology. She also spoke of Italian activist Carlo Petrini and his now-famous International Slow Food Movement, against the fast food culture since 1986.

Petrini’s movement also advocates kitchen gardens in every household and the need to preserve traditional food.

“Such a movement, perhaps, is required now more than ever when the world is consuming the natural resources at an alarming rate,” said Agatha, who was included among the panellists as a policy-maker.

Agatha, daughter of former Lok Sabha Speaker Purno A. Sangma, has been very vocal in her concern for global warming and climate changes. “In my state, farmers are slowly realising the need to shift from jhum cultivation which was leading to massive deforestation.”

At a different lecture on science awareness among students of the Northeast, 700 students listened attentively to the message of scientist M.G.K. Menon, who asked the students to dream big to achieve the impossible. The students, teachers and delegates also watched a short film on the preparations related to Chandrayaan-I, the first moon mission of India.

 
SOURCE : Monday, January 05, 2009
 


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