Dr. M P Srivastava, Formerly Director and Professor & Head Plant Pahology, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, India
Plants are the primary source of food for all of us. like any living being, plants too are prone to attack by large number of insect-pests and diseases, which cause about 40% reduction in yield worldwide. Lack of timely diagnosis and advisory is one of the major reasons for huge losses. Saving losses will go a long way in supporting sustainabilty. It has been witnessed that farmers visit the university, run from one department to other and often fail to get solution. At several national and international forum I have urged the participating nations to create Plant Health Clinic at focal point in urban and rural areas on the pattern of Human- and Veterinary clinics with necessary infrastructure with a team of Plant pathologist, entomologist, edaphologist and agronomist, so that farmers may not have to run from pillar to post, and get the right solution. I have urged all the nations at various international fora in different countries and once again request to come forward and take a lead in starting Plant Health Clinic in a big way and provide free services to growers on plant health and ailments. National Horticulture Mission of India has come forward in a big way in establishing 128 plant clinics across the country. Let others follow suit.
Such a step will help in mitigating losses to a great extent and increasing productivity and at the same time plant doctors may command same respect in the society as physicians in the hospital. Let’s come forward and provide healing touch to those who provide food to all of us. Let’s salute the farmers who face all odds and produce food for all of us and hope the government across the world will take initiative in this direction. Horticulture Mission
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