The ISC 2024 was inaugurated today 29th February 2024, the chief guest was Dr. C D Mayee, former Chairman, of the Agricultural Scientist Recruitment Board and a renowned scientist in the field of Agriculture. The Guest of Honour was Dr A K Singh, Vice Chancellor of CSA University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. Shree  Ajeet Mulay, Convener of National Organizing Committee of ISC 2024 welcomed all the guests, other dignitaries, and delegates He also gave a brief background of the deliberation which will take place during the two-day event. Dr B B Pattanaik, General Secretary of NSAI briefly informed the audience on the various activities undertaken by NSAI to support the Indian seed industry.

Dr M Prabhakar Rao, President NSAI made a detailed presentation on the present status and prospects of the Indian Seed industry starting from the green revolution to the present period of Amritkal. He lauded the role of the seed industry in the development of Indian Agriculture and the Indian Economy. He indicated that with India setting itself to boost its economy to 7 trillion USD by 2030 and 10 trillion USD by 2034, the seed industry also has the potential to grow to 7 billion USD if we can focus and aim for 1 billion USD export. He also gave a perspective view of the future developments and emerging technologies that would need to be integrated with seed research and development to harness their full potential. Dr Rao also presented a matrix to set the priority of the seed sector for the new era.

Guest of Honour, Dr AK Singh mentioned that Indian Agriculture has gone through tremendous transformation exhibiting outstanding growth in several crops, particularly, the horticultural crops. Still, there was huge potential to be tapped for boosting the production to a level where we ensure our domestic food and nutritional security and also tap the growing export market. Dr Singh was of the view that good quality seeds alone were capable of pioneering this transformation and hoped that the deliberations during the ISC would set a direction for this initiative. 

Chief Guest Dr C D Mayee appreciated the visionary presentation by President NSAI and hoped that under his leadership the Seed industry was going to achieve new heights in the days to come. Dr. Mayee emphasized the use of new technology to be used in the area where we are facing constraints, particularly, concerning the increasing labor problems in agriculture which could be tackled by the mechanization and adaptation of new technology tools. Extensive use of digital technologies in agriculture has to be explored to address the difficult areas of agricultural development. Dr. Mayee suggested that we must target the new genetic tools and technologies for improvements in the production/productivity of crops where we have shortages, particularly, the oilseeds like mustard, soybean, and groundnut and also several pulses.

Shri Vaibhav R Kashikar, Treasurer NSAI summarized the 12-year journey of ISC which has made a significant contribution towards giving shape to the Indian Seed Industry, and presented the vote of thanks to all distinguished guests, sponsors delegated and all others associated with the organization with event.

The ISC 2024 which will continue on 29th February and 1st March 2024 has been organized into six Technical Sessions that address emerging topics having an impact on the Indian Seed industry to be discussed in detail by the best subject matter experts invited from national/international institutions, about seeds.  Exhibition stalls have also been set up to showcase the latest technology and products by the seed companies and trading tables to provide a platform for business negotiations and promotion of seed trade.

The two-day event would enable comprehensive deliberations and discussions on scientific, technological, regulatory, and business developments which are going to be the core attraction of ISC 2024.

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Indus Health Plus study further revealed that 90% of people have a high genetic risk of Vitamin D deficiency and 57.55% of people have a high genetic risk for Vitamin B12 deficiency as per their genetic makeup which can also contribute to overall cardiovascular health.  

Mr. Amol Naikawadi, Preventive Healthcare Specialist, Indus Health Plus says, “Genetic testing is gaining popularity among people to get an understanding of the predisposition of various lifestyle conditions along with other health check-ups. This does not only help in better health assessment but also improves disease management, particularly for individuals with a family history of CAD or other risk factors. In addition, it enables people to plan an effective diet and efficient fitness regime. This will also guide an individual to personalize their medication for treatment in consultation with the doctor and make appropriate lifestyle choices.” 

In the Indian context, where the population is genetically diverse and faces unique healthcare challenges, genetic testing can have significant implications. India has a high burden of lifestyle-related diseases, such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, along with a growing prevalence of genetic disorders. It can help identify the genetic risk of developing such diseases, enabling early interventions and management strategies. Genetic testing can provide valuable information to manage these risks effectively, personalize medication and guide lifestyle choices, diet, and fitness regimens that are culturally relevant.  Saliva-based genetic testing is non-invasive, painless, and can be easily done at home, making it more convenient for individuals who prefer to collect their DNA samples in the privacy of their own homes. 

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