Scientists from the laboratories of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research must come up with technologies that prevent foods from going waste, Gautam R. Desiraju, Professor, Solid State and Structural Chemistry Unit, IISc., Bengaluru, has said.
“In India, at least 20-25 per cent of food grown in the fields is wasted for various reasons. We cannot afford to lose food like this. This is a serious problem since a lot of water is used to produce foods by our farmers. It’s a challenge to preserve food, and processing and value addition could be helpful in minimising wastage,” he explained.
In his address at the inauguration of 7th Bioprocessing India Conference held on the campus of CSIR-CFTRI here on Saturday, he said the scientists from top and premier labs can play an important role in curtailing wastage by taking up translational research. The research from the labs should go to the fields and help farmers in a big way.
He urged the CSIR to lay emphasis on translational research, looking beyond the labs since the scientific knowhow should largely benefit the society. “I think the scientists have a greater responsibility and we need to deliver the goods. If 15 per cent of wastage was stopped, it makes a big impact on our economy. This brings a lot of laurels to our scientists.”
Shekhar C. Mande, Director General, CSIR, and the Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, who inaugurated the three-day conference, said the CSIR was laying emphasis on translational research and narrated some of the examples implemented in some States in recent years.
CSIR-CFTRI Director K.S.M.S. Rao spoke about the importance of the conference. A souvenir was released on the occasion.
Dr. Mande also inaugurated the poster session. Anurag S. Rathore from IIT Delhi, Jayanth Modak, Deputy Director, IISc, Bengaluru, and others were present.
More than 200 delegates from various States are attending the conference.
