"I was very surprised by how optimistic he was," said McKay Professor of Environmental Engineering Peter P. Rogers, who attended the lecture.
According to Rogers, who has studied natural resources in India and elsewhere, India's water table is falling and some studies have suggested demand for water will far outstrip supply within 20 years.
Since water is key to agriculture, that could mean a gloomier forecast for continued rises in farming output, though Rogers said he did not necessarily dispute Swaminathan's outlook.
Advertisement
"He's always been upbeat," Rogers said. "He has reason to be optimistic. He's done it one time before."
--Staff writer Andrew S. Holbrook can be reached at holbr@fas.harvard.edu.