-The Hindu The nation’s current social and political predicament poses an existential challenge Ominous clouds have gathered over India, casting shadows of divisiveness and hate, threatening to undermine civil society and halt or even reverse economic progress. There is today a risk of going over a precipice beyond which there may not be a turning point. As the new decade dawned, the two of us decided to get together to write not on...

-Suno India podcast/ TheWire.in   In conversation with Pia Oberoi, senior advisor on migration, UN Human Rights Office. A few days ago, the United Nations Human Rights Office issued a statement condemning the “fundamentally discriminatory” Citizenship (Amendment) Act. While welcoming the goal of protecting persecuted groups, the UN Body called out against the exclusion of Muslims including minority sects. The statement pointed out that the new law “undermines” the commitment to equality enshrined in...

-The Hindu Powerful lobbies with vested interests see agroecology as a threat to their influence on farming systems Agroecology is recognised worldwide as a system that enhances fertile landscapes, increases yields, restores soil health and biodiversity, promotes climate resilience and improves farmers’ well-being. Its practices are supported by many agricultural scientists, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, farmers’ groups and several NGOs. It is therefore surprising that...

Almost one in every five suicides in the world is committed by self-poisoning with pesticide, which mostly occur in rural, agricultural areas of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), states a new publication entitled 'Preventing Suicide: A resource for pesticide registrars and regulators'. Published jointly by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the booklet says that the adoption of green revolution technology...

-The Telegraph Kerala surpassed other states in access to good healthcare, nutrition and quality education New Delhi: A report on child well-being in India rated Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Himachal Pradesh as the best states. The report released last week covered most of the major aspects of child well-being, health, nutrition, education and protection. The India Child Well-Being report by World Vision India, a humanitarian organisation, and IFMR LEAD, a non-profit research organisation,...