The IMF’s April 2025 Regional Economic Outlook for Sub-Saharan Africa presents a clear warning: regional growth is slowing, debt pressures are mounting, and donor assistance is declining. Yet the report outlines critical opportunities particularly in domestic revenue mobilization, structural reform, and private sector activation that can shape a more resilient …
Pitching for adoption of modern farm technologies for better yields, agriculture minister Sharad Pawar on Friday said the government should not get carried away by the “misplaced apprehensions” against scientifically proven developments such as genetically modified (GM) crops. Pawar emphasised that farm output could only be increased by raising crop …
A briefing paper on the myth that GM crops are necessary to feed India’s growing population The introduction of Genetically Modified (GM) crops have kick started a huge controversy across the world which has never been seen before with any other technologies in agriculture. Genetic Engineering as a technology and …
Meeting will give rein to hazardous industries, says Coalition for GM-free India The Union Ministry of Agriculture has no intention of keeping off a conference it has supported despite the Coalition for GM-free India having taken umbrage at the Government associating with an event organised by the agro-chemical industry to …
Last week, Greenpeace’s chief in India, Samit Aich, wrote a column in ET on genetically-modified crops. In this, he repeated an old green falsehood, that Bt cotton has failed to raise cotton yields in India. For the truth, consult the government’s Economic Survey 2011-12 (see accompanying graphic). India’s cotton yield …
The National Biodiversity Authority has filed the country’s first ever bio-piracy criminal case against US agrochemicals giant Monsanto and its Indian partner Mahyco on the Bt brinjal issue in a Karnataka Court. “The court has taken cognisance and is expected to issue summons (to Mayco) soon,” Dr Balakrishna Pisupati, chairman …
Greenpeace India demands the Union Minister for Environment and Forest, Jayanthi Natarajan, under whom sits the GEAC, to stop all open releases of GM crops, including those for field trials Press release - January 29, 2013 New Delhi: Jan 29, 2013: In a startling development an independent scientific analysis released …
This independent scientific analysis released by Greenpeace India exposes major flaws in the Genetically Modified (GM) corn biosafety assessment process by the regulatory bodies in India. An independent scientific analysis released by Greenpeace India exposes major flaws in the Genetically Modified (GM) corn biosafety assessment process by the regulatory bodies …
Environmentalist and author Mark Lynas now says GM crops are the answer to global food security. Vandana Shiva disagrees. Mark Lynas, Vandana Shiva he already heated debate about genetically modified (GM) foods in India has intensified thanks to a dramatic change in stance by environmentalist and author Mark Lynas,who now …
Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar on Sunday blamed companies in countries with GM technology-driven agriculture, like the United States, for the opposition to GM crops in India, adding that they don't want the country to be self-sufficient in food, especially oils. "In the US, the entire soyabean production is done …
A chargesheet has been filed against Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Company (Mahyco), a subsidiary of Monsanto, the US agri business firm, for violating the bio-piracy laws in developing Bt Brinjal variety by using genes of local brinjal varieties without prior permission, according to Balakrishna Pasupati, chairman of National Biodiversity Authority. Pasupathi …
The European Union on Tuesday took the debate about genetically modified crops to the public with a survey asking citizens to share their thoughts on organic farming. The bloc's 500 million consumers are invited to complete an anonymous online questionnaire on the European Commission's Agriculture and Rural Development website The …
Dismissing Parliamentary panel's suggestion to halt all field trials of genetically modified (GM) crops, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar has said the government can't take “luxurious decision of banning” them as such kind of farm research is important for ensuring food security. In August, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture, headed …
Pranab says Nobel Prize in sciences long overdue for the country Debate over nuclear energy and genetically modified food has come to the fore again, with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday saying such “complex” issues should be approached through a structured debate and analysis, than being driven by faith …
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday said that for science and technology to progress, the need of the hour is inter-disciplinary research and synergy among stakeholders. Addressing the 100th Indian Science Congress here, Singh said nuclear energy is vital for the increasingly resource-intensive modern science and called for rational thinking …
Across the world, countries are turning their backs on GM crops; perhaps the coalition in the UK could learn something from them Britain wants GM food to be grown commercially. After years of encouraging developing countries in Africa and elsewhere to grow them, but unable to allow its own farmers …
The second Indian Biodiversity Congress (IBC 2012) held at Bangalore earlier this month has called for a ban on field trials of Genetically Modified (GM) crops in India and a 10-year moratorium on Bt food crops. The three-day event, which witnessed a large turnout of scientists, conservationists, environmentalists, civil society …
A compilation by Indian Coordination Committee of Farmers Movements, 2013 Farmers handbook - handbook on some political issues surrounding food and agriculture in India.
This paper describes the series of events which took place in India from the development of Bt brinjal to its initial approval by the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC)a to the declaration of a moratorium on it by the Minister of Environment & Forests and events thereafter. It discusses the …
The agriculture sector witnessed record foodgrains output of 257.44 million tonnes in this year enabling the country to become world's largest rice exporter for the first time, but the monsoon played spoilsport dashing farmers' hopes of an encore in 2013. A hefty increase of Rs 1 lakh crore in farm …
Market leaders, Dutch follows tringent quality control The potato has a 12,000-year-old history but an even brighter future as a crop that is set to replace rice as a staple in the Asian rice-consuming countries. It requires less amount of water compared to other basic food products, without compromising the …