Vivian Fernandes
Satyagraha for GM technology: Who will compensate farmers for losses?
Government’s lack of accountability on GM crops is driving farmers to commit illegality, And risk monetary fines & prison sentences.
Dispelling falsehoods about GM crops
What India can learn from the Philippines, which set up a Biotech Program Office in 2000 to promote the responsible use of agri-biotechnology to sustain food security
Making contract farming suitable for farmers
Do farmers’ rights under PPVFR Act mean trading rights? The PepsiCo case could’ve decided this.
Farm production: Are we growing enough pulses?
We are moving towards self-sufficiency. The annual pulses production averaged 23.7 million tonnes in the past three years, an 80% increase over the average of the three-year period ending 2003-04. This was led by chickpea, wh
India’s silent chickpea revolution: How agri-scientists in Andhra Pradesh are resurrecting the crop
Once a winter favourite for farmers in North India, the crop lost ground there to wheat and rice. But, in Andhra Pradesh's hot climes, it is being ressurected by research efforts of agri-scientists.
Has Punjab lost affinity for agricultural research?
In the last 10 years, there has been no significant representation from Punjab—India’s first Green Revolution state—to the Agricultural Research Service, nor have students from Punjab been well-represented at central ag
Govt policies have shrunk Mahyco’s ag-biotech research spending by 70%: Usha Barwale Zehr
Our goal is to develop products that farmers can plant. We have doubled up on research in molecular markers (that help select plants with desirable traits). We have also made significant investments in microbial seed treatmen
Merger of rail budget with main budget allows Railways avoid public scrutiny of failures
The Railways' operating ratio, or the share of expenditure in revenue, this year was 96.2%—2 ppt better than the year before, but a 3.4 ppt slip over the target of 92.8%. When this govt took over, the ratio was 94%.
Focus on science, not divine powers
Going by the agriculture ministry’s priorities, India will certainly need a yagya for sustainable development
Pro-GM journalist, not lobbyist – CSE gets it wrong on many fronts on GM content in food
Centre for Science and Environment deputy director-general Chandra Bhushan has, in his September 26 response (bit.ly/2OQwuLp) to my article of September 10 (bit.ly/2Me04bJ), said that I have “cast aspersions” on CSE’s s
Chrolophile: Can canola displace wheat in Punjab?
The global prices of canola do not favour domestic producers despite the high import duty of 50%
The truth behind genetically modified food imports in India
CSE is wrong—import of GM food is allowed, and it isn’t unregulated. The GEAC IS Empowered to regulate Such Imports.
There is a regulatory vaccum in GM food, says CEO of FSSAI
In a study released in the last week of July, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) says it tested 65 food products and found 21 of them testing positive for material from genetically-engineered (GE) plants.
Oil’s well with Mission Mustard? Rapeseed-mustard holds the most promise for reducing India’s dependence on edible oil imports
Rapeseed-mustard holds the most promise for reducing India’s dependence on edible oil imports … The question is whether Mission Mustard can help achieve this. The edible oil industry has its task cut out.
Centre cracks down on illegal HT cotton
It has advised cotton-growing states—except those that also grow tea—to ban the sale of the herbicide glyphosate, to curb unapproved herbicide-tolerant cotton.
Chlorophile: Towards cooking oil self-sufficiency
Sorry Ramesh Chand, protectionism cannot salvage India’s edible oil economy
What ails farming – Very few people practise agriculture voluntarily
Officials see every scheme as a profit-making opportunity. Subsidised seed is sold at a mark-up to the printed price.
The Delhi High Court order on patenting on GM traits is confidence-shattering
In a setback to Mahyco Monsanto Biotech, a division bench of the Delhi High Court has held that it cannot patent its genetically-modified Bollgard I and Bollgard II technologies and the Plant Breeders’ Rights Act will apply
Chlorophile: New cattle trade rules are a welcome rethink
The draft rules provide for a committee to prevent cruelty. It comprises of eight core members and three optional ones, but the owner of a cattle market is not among them. It will certify the markets and determine their maxim
Chlorophile: No conflict between PPVFR Act & Patents Act
Kumble Vinod Prabhu, who is at the helm of the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority (PPVFRA), says that, in GM tech, a trait or an expression can’t be patented, but the GM process, the resultant eve
BT Cotton Seed Price Control: How seed companies shot themselves in the foot
The realisation may have dawned upon seed companies that they erred by inviting the government to play the referee. They should have sorted out differences with Mahyco Monsanto Biotech at their level.
Forget organic, residue-free is the way to go
The conventional notion is that organic is tastier because it is been artificially boosted with chemical nutrients and other enhancers.
Why GM mustard may not see the light of day
On May 11, last year, the GEAC, the apex authority for assessing the safety of genetically modified (GM) crops, declared that GM mustard had passed the prescribed tests and recommended to the environment minister that he shou
Bamboo can be more profitable than sugarcane and rice! Check out how
How about planting bamboo extensively along the banks of the Yamuna to sequester the carbon from Delhi’s vehicle emissions?
Karnataka pushing millets as smart food for 21st century; check out the massive benefits
The state is pushing millets, or coarse cereals, as a smart food for the 21st century, with massive nutritional and ecological benefits
Vidarbha farmers in debt trap: Here is how to save them
Diversifying to dairy may give the farmers a way out of the debt trap. But, the larger focus has to be on developing irrigation in Marathwada & Vidarbha
Agriculture faces headwinds from Centre; why Indian firms will be hurt more than MNCs due to this policy
Indian agriculture is facing headwinds from government policy. The dairy industry is worried about restrictions on cattle trading. The menace of stray cattle is keeping farmers awake at night.
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