AIKS Homage to Dr M S Swaminathan
The All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) expresses condolences at the passing away of renowned agricultural scientist Professor M. S. Swaminathan. He passed away today (September 28, 2023) at the age of 98 years. Professor Swaminathan made sterling contributions to the development of agriculture and welfare of farmers in India.
Professor Swaminathan is rightly recognised as the chief architect of the Green Revolution in India. Professor Swaminathan believed that application of modern science was indispensable for agricultural development. He was acutely conscious of the strategic importance of achieving self-sufficiency in production of food, and that this could only be achieved through the publicly-funded National Agricultural Research System.
He was a great institution builder, and his contribution to the creation of the National Agricultural Research System with Indian Council of Agricultural Research at its apex is second to none. The MS Swaminathan Research Foundation created by him in Chennai has carried forward his legacy of world-class research for agricultural development.
Professor Swaminathan’s belief in science also led him to critically assess problems that came with agricultural development. And it was only natural that he also became a strong advocate of the need to combine agricultural growth with sustainable use of resources.
Professor Swaminathan was a firm believer that agricultural development, and national development, cannot happen without protecting the rights and welfare of farmers. The National Commission on Farmers chaired by him, and popularly known as the Swaminathan Commission, provided an incisive analysis of the agrarian distress, and, in its five-volume report, provided a comprehensive roadmap for the all-round development of agriculture and welfare of farmers. The Commission argued that agriculture must be made remunerative for farmers, and towards that objective, recommended that the MSP must be set at the C2+50% level.
Professor Swaminathan was behind the recognition of the farmer’s role in development and preservation of seed varieties in the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Act, 2001, which provided a framework for recognising the varieties developed by farmers.
Professor Swaminathan was a recipient of numerous awards including the first World Food Prize (1987) and Padma Vibhushan (1989). Professor Swaminathan’s contributions were not limited to agricultural development in India. He was not only a recipient of numerous international awards and honours, he played a very important role in institutional development internationally. He was the First Chair of the High-level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE-FSN) constituted by the World Committee on Food Security, and HLPE-FSN produced seven most valuable reports under his leadership that continue to be critical guides for the global efforts to end hunger and food insecurity.
In Professor Swaminathan’s passing away, India has lost a great champion of the cause of agricultural development and of farmer’s welfare.
AIKS conveys our deep respect and condolences to his family, friends and the people who worked closely with him.
Vijoo Krishnan
General Secretary
Ashok Dhawale
President
