Climate Change Threatens Food Security, Says Expert at Bhubaneswar Meet

Bhubaneswar, April 15 (UNI): Climate change poses a serious threat to food security, human health, and water resources, said Prof. Uma Charan Mohanty, President of the Science for Common People Society (SCOPES), at a recent executive committee meeting held at Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (SOA) deemed university.

Addressing members of SCOPES, Prof. Mohanty, who is also a distinguished professor at SOA’s Centre for Climate Smart Agriculture (CCSA), warned that the world is facing one of its greatest challenges in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic. “There is an urgent need to bolster agricultural production to counter the impact of climate change,” he stated.

Prof. Mohanty stressed the need for clean and green energy sources that minimize environmental damage and underlined the importance of mass awareness to combat climate-related issues. He noted that Odisha has seen a rise in thunderstorm and lightning incidents during July and August, resulting in increased casualties during the monsoon season — a trend attributed to climate change.

During the meeting, SOA Vice-Chancellor Prof. Pradipta Kumar Nanda released the official logo of SCOPES and spoke about the university’s initiatives to promote science awareness and sustainable development among the general public. “Our agriculture students are working directly with rural communities in Odisha, sharing the latest farming techniques to ensure better yields and food security,” he said.

SCOPES has identified eight core themes for focused action: climate and weather, disaster management, smart agriculture, energy, water conservation, pollution control, sustainable technology, and public health. These areas are designed to foster development and curb migration of farming communities to other states.

To spread awareness, SCOPES plans to organize an Environment and Climate Olympiad for schoolchildren and launch a ‘Jana Bigyan Jatra’ to engage the public on pressing environmental challenges including heat waves, cyclones, lightning, and diseases such as dengue and malaria.

The meeting concluded with a call for greater public participation in science-led development efforts, especially in the context of climate change.