Healthy food is a human right! - Aman Surana   

I am Aman, a sophomore at NIT Trichy pursuing chemical engineering and hailing from a small town in Maharashtra. We all love to eat fruits daily, right? But what we are eating are indirectly packaged chemicals. Since the last few years, I have been observing that the shapes and sizes of various fruits have changed quite a bit. For example, Bananas in my town are much bigger and very granular. Apples have lost their sweetness and taste like clumps of granular mass. The list continues. Upon interaction with some farmers, I came to know that this is because farmers are forced to use excessive chemicals and pesticides to increase their yield of produce and sell their products at a better price. Unfortunately, people don't realize the harmful impacts of inorganic farming on their health due to a lack of awareness. Organic farming and sustainable farms are the need of the hour. With my background in chemical engineering, I believe that the current farming practices can be replaced by using new technologies like enzymatic and nano fertilizers, which are less harmful to the environment. Formulating pesticides that are more effective and less harmful to the environment can be a better solution. Using chemical engineering principles, we can help develop controlled-release systems for nutrients and water. This ensures that crops get the necessary inputs more sustainably, minimizing waste and reducing environmental damage. The responsibility of producing healthy food is not only of the farmers but of every individual in this vibrant nation! There have been various studies that show that organic farming over a while gives more economic benefits to the region. We can surely prevent feeding our fertile country with chemicals if we adopt newer and environmentally friendly technologies. Fruits and vegetables that are grown using such ways fetch a high value in international markets as well, thus unlocking more income for our nation. With my background in chemical engineering, I aspire to make a meaningful impact in this sector so that we all can have access to healthy food for our families!