In the mid-eighties there was a rumour which later turned out to be true: US livestock were being fed with foodgrains in order to ensure better quality of their meat. Later it proved to be corn and not fine Cereals like wheat and rice. The Indian intelligentsia was appalled and indignant: How come cows and buffaloes were fed with grains while millions of people continued to live below the poverty line...
More »SEARCH RESULT
Global food prices remain unchanged in March
-PTI World food prices remained almost same in March from their levels in February due to stable prices in most commodities and decline in dairy prices, United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organisation said. "World food prices in March remained virtually unchanged from their February levels," Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said in a statement. Amongst various commodity groups, only oil prices showed strength, compensating for falling dairy quotations, while the indices of Cereals,...
More »Food inflation back on agenda as prices rise
-Reuters Global food prices rose in March for a third successive month, driven by gains in grains and vegetable oils, the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organisation said on Thursday, putting food inflation firmly back on the economic agenda. Food prices hit record highs in February 2011 and stoked protests connected to the Arab Spring wave of civil unrest in some north African and middle eastern countries. They then receded but started...
More »Poverty 'down', but not the hungry-Subodh Varma
Even as the debate rages on whether poverty measurement in India is accurate, a recent report on nutritional intake of Indians has come up with a chilling conclusion: two thirds of the country's population is eating less than what is required. Even more worrying is that this trend continues despite a healthy economic growth rate over several years, and despite several mega programmes of nutrition delivery to children. Experts believe that...
More »Scientists Claim Their Place in Struggle for Food Security by Fabíola Ortiz
Weather events such as extreme temperatures and drought caused global agricultural losses of 11.4 billion dollars in 2011, while 12 million hectares of farmland are lost to land degradation every year, and unsustainable agricultural practices contribute to the emission of greenhouse gases. These and other data provided by a report released Wednesday in London by leading scientists from 13 countries raise the question of how to curb the environmental crisis, guarantee...
More »