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 …
Trial plans for biotech version of crops like rice, cotton, corn, castor, sorghum and potato could be delayed since a crucial meeting of the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) was postponed by a month from scheduled date of June 8. The meeting was expected to discuss permission of field trials …
Centre approves field trials of 14 GM crops. But some states refuse trials, saying safety regulations are too lax. With politicians joining activists, the issue is likely to take a politically volatile turn. This special report in DTE uncovers the mess in GM crops. As India gets ready to unleash …
The widespread and increasingly intensive use of glyphosate in association with the use of GM (genetically modified) crops poses further risks to the environment and human health. This report, produced by Greenpeace together with GM Freeze, shows why rigorous assessment of the safety of glyphosate to plant, humans and animals …
Herbicide tolerance and GM crops: Why the world should round up glyphosate, is a report created by Greenpeace and GM Freeze, UK, that is based on about 200 scientific studies recently published in peer-reviewed scientific journals. It presents the current scientific evidence of the harm caused by glyphosate. http://www.greenpeace.org/international/Global/international/publications/agriculture/2011/363%20-%20GlyphoReportDEF-LR.pdf
AT daybreak on March 11, there was a burst of activity at Litchi Lawn, a corner plot on the sprawling campus of the Pusa Institute in Bihar’s Samastipur district. Workers were uprooting the maize growing in a small patch of land close to the office, intent on finishing their work …
How do you propose to deal with conflict of interest in GEAC? Around three months ago a document called Declaration of Independence was prepared. Scientists who are members of GEAC were asked to sign it. The declaration states that a scientist can take decisions independently. If a GEAC member is …
IT is just a 12-member body but the Agricultural Group (AG) of the Association of Biotechnology Led Enterprises (ABLE-Ag) must be about the most powerful lobby groups in India. Among the dozen companies are the world’s largest biotech companies— Bayer BioScience, Dow AgroSciences, Monsanto, PHI Seeds—and a clutch of rising …
Why are bees important to humans? The 20,000 or so species of bees are the principal pollinators of plants, both in gardens and in the wild. If you like having flowering plants around, for the most part you need to have bees around. There is a need to create awareness …
The GM crops debate rages, but pressure is on to end the moratoriumActively On Hold? Well... GEAC meets experts in late April, butthrows no light on safety reviews Second report by national science academies supports limited release GEAC chairman rejects limited release; assures further discussions No decision on further tests …
The Bt cotton seed companies have got a major blow as Maharashtra, the largest cotton growing state, refused to increase the price of Bt cotton seeds. This is likely to create a severe shortage of seeds in north Maharashtra
The ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) is under great pressure to permit the partial release of Bt brinjal. The 19-member Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) has informally conveyed to the ministry its keenness to introduce the controversial Bt brinjal at the earliest. Dr Usha Barwale Zehr, joint director, research, …
The Provincial Seed Council has given provisional approval for production of the `controversial` variety of BT cotton on a trial basis, taking into account the variety`s great potential. Punjab approved its production on a permanent basis about two years ago. BT cotton has remained controversial since its arrival in the …
Declare State GM organisms-free on the lines of M.P., Bihar. Farmer groups here on Sunday demanded that Rajasthan be declared a genetically modified (GM) organisms-free State on the lines of Madhya Pradesh, which has recently decided to prohibit any environmental release, including field trials, of GM seeds and crops in …
This paper examines the potential health effects of foods derived from genetically modified (GM) plants. While such an important topic, the database on the likely biological effects of GM foods is woefully inadequate. In the absence of safety studies, the lack of evidence that GM food is unsafe cannot be …
The wider democratic role of panchayats was very much in evidence on April 8, 2011 at a conference on 'Agriculture and Panchayats in Rajasthan in the Specific Context of Agreements with Multinational and other Big Agribusiness Companies'. In this conference panchayat leaders from 14 districts of Rajasthan unanimously called upon …
While it is widely agreed that an important goal of Panchayati Raj is to ensure better implementation of government's rural development programmes by ensuring participation of people, it is also important to assert that the role of Panchayati Raj Institutions at various levels is certainly not restricted to blind acceptance …
