New Delhi: Vice President of India M. Hamid Ansari has said that according to FAO, over 250 million Indians are chronically undernourished, constituting 22 per cent of our population. This is anomalous looking at record food grain production in recent years.

Delivering the convocation address at the Orissa University of Agriculture & Technology in Orissa today he has said that what is becoming clear is that food security and self-sufficiency should be measured not just in terms of production, but in terms of access to, and actual consumption of, food grains.

The vice president said that the agriculture provides employment to around 52 per cent of our workforce. Around half of all those engaged in agriculture are illiterate and a miniscule 5 per cent of them have completed higher secondary education.

It thus has a disproportionately important role in achieving a higher and inclusive GDP growth, food security, employment expansion and poverty alleviation.

The vice president said during his speech, "The first Prime Minister of India, Shri Jawaharlal Nehru had said that Everything else can wait but agriculture cannot wait". Agriculture continues to be the lifeline of the Indian economy and central to our economic development in the long term. Indeed, the last six decades have seen the dramatic transformation of Indian agriculture from shortages to surpluses. This has happened simultaneously with a decrease in the share of agriculture in the GDP from over 50 per cent at the time of independence to around 15 per cent today."

He further added that the food grain self sufficiency was achieved by India by enhancing production from around 50 million tonnes in 1950 to over 230 million tonnes today.

"This was achieved through the Green Revolution that brought about through strong political will and environment of favorable infrastructure, new technology induction, policy support and energized agricultural extension system," he said.

Ansari spoke about the University's role in the areas of crop improvement, crop production, natural resource management, crop protection, post-harvest technology and extension education would always be remembered.

He said, "It is particularly notable that it has developed 127 high yielding crop varieties including 50 rice varieties suitable for different agro-ecological situations of the State. It has also developed technologies related to livestock, fish, mechanized farming and management of land and water."

The vice president expressed his confidence that the students graduating from the varsity would follow in the footsteps of the distinguished teachers and alumni of the University.

"I sincerely hope that at least some of you would choose unconventional paths to become agricultural entrepreneurs and innovators. I once again congratulate all of you and especially those conferred with Honoris Causa and those who received prizes and medals. I thank the Chancellor and Vice Chancellor of the University for inviting me to this Convocation," he said.