Use Geographical Indications Effectively, Dr Raju Narayana Swamy Urges NAFED Officials at ASCI
Babushahi Network Bureau
Hyderabad, February 16, 2026: Dr Raju Narayana Swamy, IAS, Principal Secretary to the Government of Kerala and widely known as Kerala’s anti-corruption crusader, called for the intelligent use of Geographical Indications (GI) to transform Indian agriculture.
Addressing a group of NAFED officials at the Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI) in Hyderabad, Dr Swamy said that strategic use of GI tags, combined with value addition, has the potential to revolutionize the agricultural sector.
He highlighted that advanced non-targeted fingerprinting techniques such as Liquid Chromatography–Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (LC-QToF-MS), Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (EDXRF), Fourier-transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and Direct Analysis in Real Time Mass Spectrometry (DART-MS) have evolved to generate unique chemical profiles of agricultural products.
“These chemical fingerprints are intrinsically linked to specific geo-environmental factors like soil and climate, as well as traditional practices protected under the GI framework,” he explained.
Dr Swamy further noted that the integration of machine learning (ML) and chemometrics is transforming the interpretation of complex spectral data. Recent studies, he said, indicate that combining spectral data such as Near-Infrared (NIR) analysis with agrarian and climatic parameters significantly enhances the accuracy of origin-classification models. Similarly, multi-elemental and stable isotope analysis, when coupled with chemometric tools, provides robust mechanisms to verify geographical origin.
He emphasized that these technological advancements must be harnessed for the benefit of small and marginal farmers who work tirelessly in the fields. “The ultimate objective should be to ensure better returns and protection for farmers through scientific validation of product authenticity,” he added.
Dr Subodh Kandamuthan, Dean of ASCI, presided over the function.
Know About Dr. Raju Narayana Swamy
Dr. Raju Narayana Swamy is a 1991 batch Kerala cadre IAS officer known as an anti-corruption crusader with a record of over 32 transfers in 34 years. An IIT Madras computer science graduate and UPSC topper (AIR 1), he currently serves as Principal Secretary to the Government of Kerala. He is a renowned author and has held key roles, including Agriculture Production Commissioner and District Collector.