Agribusiness in South Asia
Agribusiness (including agriculture) accounts for almost one third of South Asia’s GDP and has the potential to almost double over the next fifteen years (reaching US$1.5 trillion by 2030). This increase
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Seed companies reap rich harvest on Bt cotton wave
Bt cotton has doubled the seed industry and boosted the fortunes of seed firms. But yields still need to improve In the last 10 years, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton and its impact on farmers has perhaps been the most talked about topic in Indian agriculture since the ‘Green Revolution’ of the 1960s and 1970s. Not only has farmers’ income from growing Bt cotton risen by almost 67 per cent in the last one decade—the crop was first introduced in 2002—but Bt has made India a front-ranking,
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Poverty level raised to include 100 million Chinese
China has said it will almost double its definition of the poverty threshold to enable an additional 100 million people to access social subsidies, a move that comes as the government looks to address
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World Bank gives nod to $93.5 m loan for China cattle project
The World Bank has approved a $93.5 million loan to help nearly 140,000 Chinese farmers raise cattle in addition to their normal crops , potentially doubling their yearly income to $200or $300 a
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New rice varieties flourish in deep waters
New varieties of rice that can be grown in flood hit areas are producing higher yields. Combined with other crops, they can give the farmer a better deal.
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Serving in god s name
This dedicated band have abandoned their egos and selfishness to go about performing social service without any fanfare
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Groundnut farming
Use of farmyard manure has resul ted in a marked increase in groundnut production in India's Deccan Plateau. In a study conducted by the Centre for Research and Infor mation on Low-External-Input
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Submerged
The floods in Bangladesh show no sign of abating
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Farm loan waiver for food security: Chidambaram
High domestic and global prices still pose inflationary threat Rebutting the charge by India Inc. that the Union budget ignored the corporate sector, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram on Monday defended the proposed farm loan waiver scheme in the name of food security, saying high domestic and global prices still posed an inflationary threat. "One of the reasons why inflation is still a threat is food price in India,' he said during a post-budget interaction with industry chambers here. "If we grow enough food to feed our people, we are insulated from world prices, but if we are dependent on imports we are subject to world prices,' he said, noting that after a long gap, India had become a marginal importer of foodgrains, which was a dangerous omen. "No country with as large a population as India can be dependent on imports [of foodgrains].' Buttressing his point, Mr. Chidambaram noted that since April last year, the global prices of wheat and rice had risen by 88 and 15 per cent. "Taking all this into account, we came to the conclusion that the distress of the farmers calls for an unorthodox response. And the response was farm loan waiver.' Referring to the corporates' charge, the Minister said: "I have not forgotten the corporate sector. Despite the advice given by my Chief Economic Adviser and the suggestion in the Economic Survey, we accepted your demand for retaining peak customs duty rate.' The corporates would also indirectly benefit from proposals such as excise duty cuts and relief given to personal income-tax payers as these, in turn, would spur demand for consumer goods. The Central Sales Tax, a levy on inter-State sale of goods, was also proposed to be reduced from three to two per cent in the next fiscal. Besides, the budget sought to lift the tax deducted at source (TDS) from listed corporate debt as also avoid double taxation on dividends paid by domestic companies and their subsidiaries. Tax sops A number of tax sops were provided to the hotel and hospitality industry. "What we have done is sufficient to keep the engine of growth running at full speed
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Bangladesh State of Environment Report: The Monthly Overview, March, 2014
<p>With release of genetically modified Bt brinjal for commercial cultivation Bangladesh is first country in the South Asia to cultivate any genetically modified food crop. Read more in this March 2014 edition of the Monthly Overview on State of Environment, Bangladesh.</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p>
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Fuel for thought
To reduce the level of carbon in the atmosphere, growing and using biomass as an energy substitute for fossil fuels is of greater advantage than creating carbon sinks
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Inland aquaculture can improve livelihoods of millions
<font class='UCASE'>M Vijay Gupta</font>, former assistant director general, World Fish Center, Penang, Malaysia was the World Food Prize winner in 2005. He talks to <font class='UCASE'>Sourav Mishra</font> on inland aquaculture s relevance for the Thir
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Spreading message
Increasing water harvesting and water conservation is the only way to ensure food security
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The power-tiller: An agent of change in agriculture
Spring is not far away and the villagers of Gatana, Paro know it well. But the farmers are not in a hurry - they know they will finish their work well in time. With the sound of few power-tillers echoing from the hills, that enclose the village located below Dzongdaka monastery, Gatana farmers say that what they did in a week's time in the past can now be done in a day. Behind all their confidence is the power-tiller, what many farmers call the farmer's norbu (precious jewel). What was once considered a status symbol has become a practical necessity to farmers all over the country. It is, in the words of one of the first power-tiller owners in Paro, Tshering Pem, an "agent of change' in Bhutanese farming. Tshering Pem, 68, recalls the first day when her late husband, a former gup brought home a power-tiller in 1981. "All my neighbours came with tea and khadar to celebrate the occasion. I didn't know why then,' she said with a contented smile. "I do now. It became so significant in my life,' added the successful farmer. A multipurpose machine - from fetching water to ploughing fields to ferrying people About a kilometre below Tshering Pem's house, the Agriculture Machinery Centre is hosting another significant function. The Japanese government is handing over 179 power-tillers to the centre under the KRII grant, which will travel to various dzongkhags to make a difference in the lives of farmers. "Nothing can beat the power-tiller,' says farmer Lhamu in Lobesa. "From fetching water to ploughing fields to ferrying people, it can do it all,' says Lhamu. "Without it, farming would be difficult or, at least, different.' Many farmers like Lhamu feel that farming would indeed be difficult without power tillers. One of the immediate benefits, according to farmer Thanka, was that it solved the problem of labour shortage. "With every parent knowing the value of education, there were no hands left to help on the farm,' said the former gup. "Power-tillers came as a blessing. It can do both men's and women's work. Moreover, it can do 20 men's work in a day.' Aum Tshering Pem recalls how her neighbors relied on her power-tiller to help them. "It was like magic as it tilled terrace after terrace within minutes,' she says. "Many people stopped their work and watched it for hours.' A prosperous farmer, Aum Tshering Pem says the power-tiller is more valuable than her Toyota land cruiser. Farmers run short of adjectives when asked how power-tillers changed their lives. According to one of the early owners in Paro, Gup Dep Dorji in Shari, for many farmers, they are valued more than their parents. "There are no words to describe how it helped Bhutanese farmers,' he says. Dorji bought his tiller in 1987 and boasts that it still works fine. "The greatest thing the tiller brought to farmers was that it relieved both men and women of their drudgery,' he says. "It's a multipurpose machine. I'd prefer it to a truck.' Dorji has a long list of what the tiller can do, and says that it enhanced farmer's income from cash and food crops and made many self sufficient. "From the same area of land, yields are almost doubled when a tiller is used,' he says. AMC officials say that a power-tiller can till 1 to 1.5 acres of land in a day. "That would be the work of four pairs of bulls,' said the official. A power tiller can plough, transplant rice, thresh paddy, and pump water, besides doing many other domestic work. Aum Tshering Pem's village, with about 30 households, has now about 15 power-tillers. AMC's administrative officer, Wangchuk, who served with the centre since its inception in 1984, says that he has witnessed a sea-change since the machine's intervention in Bhutanese farming. "It has helped farmers improve yield, save cost, and lessened drudgery,' he says. "Today, it has become indispensable in farming.' The tillers from the KRII grant are sold at a subsidized rate to farmers. However, the cost of one has gone up from Nu 19,500 in 1983 to about Nu 112,000 now. Wangchuk said that the centre tied up with Bhutan Development Finance Corporation to lend farmers money to purchase the machines. "Today, farmers buy, even paying cash down,' he says. According to the centre's engineer, Kinga Norbu, because of the demand, distribution is done to ensure that every dzongkhag gets the machine. He said that Paro, Punakha, Wangduephodrang have the highest demand, but preference is given to farmers' groups. The demand for power-tillers is so high that a few private firms have started importing them from China and India. Paro has the highest number of power tillers at 458, followed by Punakha with 241, and Wangdue with 221. Remote dzongkhags like Zhemgang have 40 and Gasa 34. Yesterday, at the handing-over ceremony, the programme director of the centre, Chetem Wangchen, said that the popularity of the tiller has become evident with a huge surge in demand. More than 800 farmers have already applied for tillers since last year. From 30 sold in the first lot in 1983, AMC has distributed 2,180 to date. Meanwhile, the list of the KRII grant, the 20th instalment, was handed over to the agriculture secretary, Sherub Gyeltshen, by Mr Keizo Takewaka, minister, Japanese Embassy in New Delhi, India. At the ceremony, the minister commended the agriculture ministry for their policy in mechanizing agriculture and said that the Japanese government was happy to see their assistance put to best use in Bhutan. "We're happy to see that our assistance is helping the development of agriculture and rural farmers,' said Mr Keizo Takewaka. The agriculture secretary, Sherub Gyeltshen said that the KRII grant is an unprecedented and unique grant from the Japanese government in achieving Bhutan's food self sufficiency policy and developing agriculture. "The grant has benefitted Bhutanese farmers, especially when most are dependent on agriculture, farmlands are located in difficult terrain and when there is an acute shortage of farm labour,' he said. Back in Gatana, two men are taking their power-tiller home after a day's work. "I've made Nu 3,000 from hiring out my tiller today,' says the proud owner of the tiller. "It will be enough for my daughter's shopping when she goes back to school.' By Ugyen Penjore ugyenpen@kuensel.com.bt
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North gets soft options on subsidy cuts
THERE are some in India who believe that the Dunkel Draft (DD) would lead to a reduction of subsidies paid by developed countries to their farmers and this would help agricultural produce exports
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A revolution redefined
Troubled by the degradation of soil and water, French farmers are now switching to a more sustainable practise of agriculture
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Seeds of progress
An NGO in Karnataka is endeavouring to make poor farmers self reliant in managing and sustaining land development projects in Kolar district
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Pouring prosperity
The micro watershed development project in Maharashtra has put a stop to what was earlier an annual ritual of deserting the drought prone villages of Marathwada by their residents
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Coming of the know all
The socio ecological implications of the knowledge revolution are many and multifaceted. But the world needs a system where a 'post bi polar' order is yet to be defined
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Orphans of the river
Riverine fisherfolk, arguably the oldest among traders, are being sold down the river. An unholy synergy of poisoned rivers, government apathy and commercial interests has scripted the epitaph of the original stewards of the river. Ironically, their