Reinventing the wheel-Food technology research in India reaches its"Nadir"?

India is known to be a laggard when it comes to spending on scientific and technological research that can contribute to over all development of the country. While a country like USA annually spends over $ 400 billion (bn) on research activities Indian spend is hardly $ 24 bn. Even our neighbor China spends about $ 200 bn annually on scientific research which is linked closely to its rapid economic growth. According to Indian government documents, the country wants to spend Rs 90, 000 crore during the 12th Plan period (2014-19) on scientific research in different sectors or 18, 000 crore per year. This is a lot of money and if spent appropriately can show very tangible results. Unfortunately except for Space Department and  Atomic Energy Sector nothing much can be show cased as the achievements of the various scientific research organizations in the country. Crying for more funds does not make any sense when even the existing allocations are not effectively used for innovations and developments that benefit the nation as a whole.

Talking specifically the food research, there are no reliable data pertaining to research in food processing sector. If agriculture is taken to mean food also, it is reported that the country spends about 0.4% of the value of agricultural inputs on research activities and this works out roughly to about Rs 15000 crore. Of this direct spend on production and productivity research could be as high as 90% leaving behind about Rs 1500 crore on food research. R & D agencies that vie for a pie in this spend include CFTRI, DFRL, NIFTEM, and institutions supported by Food processing ministry, Dept of Science, Dept of Biotechnology, Atomic Energy Commission, Universities and others. Probably no one gets the minimum critical inputs necessary to make any break through innovations of high value.

Having seen this scenario is it not incumbent upon those organizations from which lot is expected to optimize their research activities to create maximum impact in stead of squandering them over flimsy projects, many of them with no relevance to the needs of the country and often on "personalized" whims and fancies. Indian food industry which meets the domestic processed food needs of population with an estimated value of over Rs 1,50, 000 crore is claimed to employs about 48 million people. There are about 36000 registered units as reported by one of the government agencies, though one  in not sure about the accuracy of such statistics routinely doled out from government sources. Another dimension to this is that only 25% of industrial out put is attributed to the organized industry, mostly branded products, while the unorganized and small scale players contribute 42% and 33% respectively. Naturally it is the small players and unorganized sector units which require technical support for strengthening their production base and for starting new ventures while the organized sector has the wherewithal to acquire technological assistance from foreign sources. Have the domestic R & D agencies walloping huge resources from the public treasury fulfilled their duty to the Indian food industry during their existence over the last 7 decades?  Well, this does not seem to be happening with food technology research in India at present.

A typical case is a recent claim by one of the premier food research organizations in the country regarding development of an "improved"  process for turmeric at the farm level which is nothing but a rehash of same work carried out almost 5 decades ago and widely practiced by many farmers in the country. The same organization is talking about use of cow dung, lead vessels, use of chromates for color enhancement during traditional processing of this rhizome, etc which were all issues dealt with earlier in the same set up by scientists who have retired long ago. During the last 3 decades same thing has been happening with recycled research thrown at the public as new development which appears to be the strong point of this R& D organization. It is a tragedy that this organization must have spent by a conservative estimate more than Rs 1000 crore during this period! No wonder neither the farmer nor the food industry is too much bothered to even recognize its existence let alone seeking its help in solving their problems. 

Government is repeating the same mistake by setting more such public funded R & D organizations without insisting on their effective linkage with user industries and seeking accountability for the money spent by them. It is not realized by those in power that no big industry will be interested in free wheeling research in isolation within the four walls of a research organization as most of these private players have well funded captive research set up to further their commercial interests. It is the small scale and unorganized manufacturing entities and new enterprising entrepreneurs who really need feasible and reliable manufacturing technologies which should be either free or charged lightly at affordable prices. To day's ground reality is that these small players find it difficult even get entry to these highly "secured"citadels of research. (as if they are guarding a gold treasury) let alone make use of the technologies which are listed for sale in their brochures and news clips from time to time. Another bane is the pronounced tendency in public funded research organizations to go more and more for "research" in areas of academic interest which give them a number of "publications" and "Ph.Ds" from Universities. 

It is a sad story how domestic food research activities invariably focus too much on "modern" nutritionally suspect food products rather than taking up studies on thousands of traditional foods which are crying for attention in terms of product quality standardization and process modernization including mechanization as far as possible. Unfortunately traditional foods are made and sold mostly in the unorganized sector which does not have adequate clout to influence and attract attention of food scientists and technologists while government is a mute spectator to this situation. Government must set up a blue ribbon commission to look into research efforts that operate to day and recast the organizations, squandering precious public funds unconscionably, into a responsive and vibrant system that will serve the citizen as well as the domestic food industry in standing up to the challenges posed by multinationals and monopolistic domestic giants in vying for a more legitimate share of the market.  

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com 

STATE OF THE FOOD RESEARCH IN INDIA -NEED FOR CONSOLIDATION

Food research globally is getting more and more confined to the private industry sector and with funds coming from large corporations there are a few Universities in the US which undertakes dedicated research for the benefit of the sponsor. The million dollar question that begs for an answer is who will do the much needed technology development and service system for the small and medium scale enterprises which cannot invest in research. Take the case of India where more than two thirds of manufactured foods in the market come from the SMEs and the so called unorganized sectors and there is no place for them to go in search of technical assistance due to the skewed policies of the government. What is the real alternative to such a disgusting environment in the country which is getting more and more loaded in favor of large scale players, both domestic and international, after the much touted economic liberalization process of mid nineties of the last century?

Till the advent of the much hyped NIFTEM set up with much fanfare a couple of years ago in Haryana, the major focus of food research was being carried out by CFTRI, a national public funded R & D organization located in Mysore. What are the reasons for the Government at Delhi to discard CFTRI and set up a brand new Institute like NIFTEM right from the scratch is some thing the tax paying citizens of this country was never informed. Billions of rupees are being showered on a organization with zero credentials to take up R & D in areas like tech development, technology training and development of management personnel supposed to be tailor made to the needs of food industry. A critical look at the performance of NIFTEM will show that nothing much has been achieved so far and even if the organization is able to assemble a decent group of scientists to perform some of the tasks assigned to it, it can take another decade before some results are visible at the ground level. This raises the question regarding the sins and omissions of CFTRI which caused its demise (almost) prematurely?)

Whether the prime movers of NIFTEM like it or not, CFTRI is the only public funded research organization with the highest concentration of food scientists and technologists in the world. Its post graduates in food technology are still being grabbed like hot potatoes by the industry even before the final results are out! Same is true with the milling technology course, a unique venture with milling industry collaboration and being industry sponsored those coming out go straight into the shop floor with minimum learning period. Is it not unfortunate that CFTRI had to pay the price for not being subservient to a haughty bureaucrat in the Ministry of Food processing a few years ago? It is crystal clear that unless an organizations pay obeisance to Delhi bureaucrats funds will not be provided for its growth. Another cause of decline of CFTRI is the incompetence of CSIR, the mother organization led by people who cannot see beyond their nose! Bringing subject "innocent" ( or is it ignorant?) "leaders" to rule the institute overlooking years of experience of the locally grown but reputed food scientists was another folly for which the organization had to pay a heavy price.     

Why did the food industry shirked its responsibility in saving CFTRI? Can it be due to its traditional "yes sir" syndrome, always paying obeisance to the sarkari babus traditionally? Did CFTRI play its role as the premier R & D agency in India, for that matter in the entire South Asia? The answer may not be entirely favorable to this once famed institute which is a pale shadow of what it was during its glorious days under Directors like late Dr V Subrahmanian, late Dr Hossy Parpia and Dr Bansi Lal Amla. Progressive exclusion of food industry from decision making regarding selection of R & D projects over the years made the organization irrelevant to the manufacturing sector, especially from the small and micro enterprises section. The ivory tower research which even to day the institute is carrying out can further exacerbate the situation.

It is in this context that a recent report from California is music to the years of erstwhile scientists of CFTRI, still living, who were responsible for developing this institute into a world class set up with international recognition and reputation. University of California at Davis is a well recognized academic institution with many food technology stalwarts coming out of it during the last 7 decades and its renewed dedication to the subject is reinforced by its new $ 100 million plan to form an integrated and coordinated R & D network among various food science disciplines which were working in isolation pursuing unrelated research during the last several years. 

The World Food Center in California, that is proposed to be created will incorporate more than 30 centers presently in the Campus working on areas like food, nutrition and health. If the expectations of the planners do fructify, world would see an institution similar to the reputed Brooklyn Institute working on every aspect of food ranging from policy to genomics. It is further envisioned that this Center would be working with other universities and research centers across the U.S. as well as worldwide. The fact that this Center would function under the direct supervision of the Chancellor further enhances its importance and seriousness. Interestingly the required funding, estimated at $ 100 million is expected to be garnered from the food industry with liberal donations but with no strings attached. When the Center takes shape eventually it has the potential to bring together teams of experts from around the world to develop solutions to the challenges of feeding a hungry planet.

Is there any one in India with such a far sighted vision to consolidate food research as is being attempted in California? With politicians and bureaucrats holding the reins of power and controlling the purse such a possibility is very remote. But visualizing a World Food Center built around CFTRI and another equally competent DFRL both at Mysore is too tempting to be brushed aside. There are more than 30 research institutions and departments in half a dozen universities working on specialized areas of food within a radius of 150 km from Mysore under different administrative control which can be woven into a network with unified command structure and common program of intense relevance to food industry in the country. When CFTRI was at its peak health it had about seven regional centers acting as eyes and years for seeing and listening to the problems of industry in various states. It is sad that they were starved of funds, human resources and infrastructure leading to closure of most of them and what ever is remaining are limping along eking out a bare existence! If this is not shortsightedness, what else it is? Probably creation of a financially autonomous apex body for food research with national mandate for food technology development in an integrated manner may be the need of the time. Wishful thinking? May be!

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

"NATIONAL TECHNOLOGY DAY"-TWO CONTRASTING REPORTS

National Technology Day was "celebrated" in India on May 11, 2010 and it is usually an occasion to "brag" about technological "achievements" made by the country in different spheres of national development. Those entrusted with development of technologies for food processing and preservation are not to be left behind in this "bragging" business and the two supposedly premier food technological institutions located at Mysore had their trumpets blown at high decibel strength to make sure that their voices are heard at right quarters that count. According to the reports appearing in the reputed Bangalore based news paper Deccan Herald of May 12, 2001, both the above institutions made elaborate arrangement to ensure that adequate coverage is given to what they have to say. Here is some excerpts from the paper for the benefit of the readers of this blog to decide about the credibility of these public funded food R & D organizations. First the civilian set up for food research in the country and part of the speech delivered on the occasion, quoted verbatim from the above paper.

"Director CFTRI, Dr V Prakash on Tuesday said that holistic approach is needed to understand issues like volcanic ash and many other natural disasters. He was delivering presidential address at National Technology Day celebrations 2010 at CFTRI premises in the city. Prakash said that there are several scientific evidence to say that global warming is happening at alarming rate. It has resulted in increased temperature and it can be easily checked at home or offices. But the problem is beyond that. Of every one degree Celsius rise in temperature in soil surface, there is 10% decrease in agriculture yield. This sprouts great concern for future's loss in crop production and also productivity. This apart, loss of surface water, loss of microbial population in the soil vanishing inter crop pattern, changing systems of agriculture aggravates the woes. Prakash said about 50000 liters of water will be lost annually if the leakages from the taps were not plugged. It calls for immediate need for minimizing the use of energy and also expenditure."

What food technology or the CFTRI has to do with the issues raised in the rambling exposition above is not clear. One can only guess that the purpose of the function was more to project the "wide knowledge" of the speaker beyond the realm of food technology, rather than highlighting the institutional strength. Probably the above speech has all the hallmarks of the Inter Country Panel on Climate Change of the UN (IPCC), recently disgraced because of the fudging of its climate change report. One can only pity the fall from grace of an institution founded, nurtured and established by eminent food scientists of yesteryear which contributed significantly to the development of food industry till early nineteen nineties.

In contrast the report emanating from the defense sector R & D set up is indeed interesting, revealing and informative to citizens in this country regarding the efforts put in by the scientists and technologists there in developing newer products for the army personnel. According to the reporter of the News Paper, the exhibition was able to arouse interest amongst the citizens of Mysore though many were disappointed by the absence of arrangements to offer some of the new products for tasting. Though seeing is believing, actual tasting is convincing.

"Aloe Vera based performance enhancement drink, spiced aloe squash, frozen chicken shreds, frozen mutton shami kabab, mutton sandwiches, protein bars, meal equivalent bars, fiber bars, appetizer bars, nutraceutical bars. This is not a list of menu from any hotel. But these items were put on exhibition by the Defense Food Research Laboratory in Mysore on Tuesday as part of National Technology Day.---DFRL highlighted achievements of food scientists in the field of food technology and their efforts to provide nutritious food for the soldiers guarding the country's borders in extreme weather conditions".

Indeed the exhibition provided an insight into its activities since 1961. To what extent the technologies developed here have been commercialized or estimate of production by the industry using these technologies are questions that should have been posed by the critical press corps who covered the above program. Of course some of the technologies appear familiar because they were cited earlier also but on the whole this institution has projected its strength in the area of its empowerment through public funding. It may be a different issue if some of the products developed were never accepted by the Jawans for whom they were intended.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com