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 …
The acreage under the transgenic Bt cotton seeds in India has risen significantly since its legalization in the year 2002. Discussions on the advantages from the technology have focused on increments in productivity and income, without much analysis on risk. Point out that claims on productivity gains seem to be …
Coalition for a GM-Free India demands immediate stopping of all public sector transgenic research and an independent enquiry and action against fraudulent scientists.
Monsanto's genetically engineered, drought resistant corn is deregulated, the U.S. Agriculture Department said Thursday, clearing the variety for sale. USDA approved the variety after reviewing environmental and risk assessments, public comments and research data from Monsanto. Corn is the most widely grown U.S. crop and farmers grew 91.9 million acres …
16 firms/institutions have been allowed to conduct experiments by panel The government’s non-chalance over the issue has raised concerns in many quarters. It has been over two months since the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) gave its approval to 16 companies and research institutions to conduct open air/field trials on …
Here’s a quick update on efforts to expand access to higher-yielding hybrid seed in Nepal. Even though the country already has lots of different varieties beyond their own traditional supplies, a recent plan to expand access to higher-yielding seed, facilitated by the United States Agency for International Development and involving …
The main reason for the continued low use of quality seed has been inadequate access. Though the private sector has taken a lead in harnessing technological innovation in some segments, it has concentrated on particular types of seed. It has also occasionally supplied spurious and low quality seeds and charged …
India's agricultural productivity is not keeping pace with its population, despite its growing economy. Advances in transgenic technology could alleviate the situation, but there is strident opposition in the nation to genetically modified (GM) crops from non-governmental organizations and from spiritual gurus, in the name of tradition, biodiversity and other …
Mahyco confident of regulatory approvals, plans launch within a year. Bt brinjal may have gone into the deep freezer, but that has hardly dampened the enthusiasm of Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Co (Mahyco) from coming up with new genetically modified (GM) crops. Mahyco now plans to introduce Bt rice and Bt …
All Nepal Peasants’ Federation has declared a war to prevent Monsanto from coming to Nepal. The farmers’ wing has vowed that it would force the government and USAID to annul the agreement signed with the Monsanto company, a US-based producer of genetically engineered seeds, to introduce hybrid corn seeds for …
The National Academy of Agricultural Sciences has come out with the latest policy paper on Biosafety Assurance for GM Food Crops in India that contains science-based recommendations and concrete actions for safe, inclusive and judicious harnessing of GM technologies for accelerated and sustained crop production. The NAAS policy paper critically …
KOLKATA, 23 NOV: As many as 10 former Supreme Court judges, several members of Parliament, over 200 organisations and one lakh citizens have asked the Prime Minister, Mr Manmohan Singh, to scrap the proposed Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India (BRAI) Bill in its present form that is set to be …
Karnataka has joined the movement against the implementation of the Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India (BRAI) which is to be tabled in the Parliament’s winter session. The Bill formulated by the Science and Technology Ministry is a blatant attempt to bulldoze public resistance and genuine concerns over genetically modified crops, …
Contrary to its opposition early this year to genetically modified crops, Madhya Pradesh is now taking its time to decide the fate of field trials of maize cleared recently by the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) of the Ministry of Environment and Forests. The committee has recently permitted Monsanto to …
Not to accept such crops from this month The Kerala Roller Flour Millers Association and the All Kerala Bread Manufacturers Association have called for an immediate ban on open air releases of genetically modified (GM) food crops. The call comes in the wake of reports that the controversial Biotechnology Regulatory …
The central government has planned a push for cotton farmers on regulatory concerns. It also has financial help in mind. It is to introduce the Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India Bill in Parliament’s winter session. Vilasrao Deshmukh, minister for science and technology, told the World Cotton Research Conference the performance …
Researchers on Sunday reported initial signs of success from the first release into the environment of mosquitoes engineered to pass a lethal gene to their offspring, killing them before they reach adulthood. The results, and other work elsewhere, could herald an age in which genetically modified insects will be used …
The field trial of a genetically modified rice variety has been deferred till an expert committee formed to look into the food security aspect submits its report. The West Bengal Environment Minister, Mr Sudarshan Ghosh Dastidar, said here that the three-member committee would file its report on October 30 after …
Opponents of Monsanto's new genetically modified sweet corn are petitioning national food retailers and processors to ban the biotech corn, which is not labeled as being genetically altered from conventional corn. A coalition of health, food safety and environmental organizations said they have collected more than 264,000 petition signatures from …
As Greenpeace completes 10 years in India, it chalks up its successes and faces some flak. Kunal Majumder looks at both sides of the story WHEN GREENPEACE India listed 33 successful campaigns to celebrate its first decade in the country, the Copenhagen meet on climate change held two years ago …
Genetic engineering has failed to increase the yield of any food crop but has vastly increased the use of chemicals and the growth of “superweeds,” according to a report by 20 Indian, southeast Asian, African and Latin American food and conservation groups representing millions of people. The so-called miracle crops, …
