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http://www.downtoearth.org.in/print/42498
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10/18/2013 9:16 PM
http://www.downtoearth.org.in/print/42498
farm families. Has the quality of scientific manpower changed significantly since your time? The quality of scientific manpower varies widely from institution to institution. Most of the agricultural universities have become highly inbred. Appointments to senior positions are also made on the basis of political influence. There is more emphasis on bricks than brains. Achievements are measured by the number of buildings built and money spent and not by the improvement in the wellbeing of farm and fisher families. There is a general perception that ICARs role and research has declined. Do you agree? ICAR has not declined in terms of money but there is a need to strengthen national research system and not hand over our responsibility to international institutions. There must be well-defined milestones. When I was in IARI we had small groups and we had a very clear idea about what has to be done. There were clear goals, five-year plans and we got results. The Chinese appear to have done much better than us. The Chinese have done a much better job because they are able to generate team-based and focused work. They also have a strong bond between scientists and farmers. In a small way such bonds were developed during the Cultural Revolution, but have now become organic and ingrained in the system. This is why China could spread technologies like hybrid rice very fast. Interviewee: M S Swaminathan [2]
Source URL: http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/linkage-between-science-and-public-policy-has-weakened
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