The Institute for Human Development (IHD) & UN World Food Programme (WFP) have jointly prepared a `Food Security Atlas of Rural Bihar'. The first-ever atlas, prepared under the guidance of a Technical Advisory Committee chaired by Planning Commission member Prof Abhijit Sen, has analysed and depicted the food security situation in various districts of the state. It has identified regions in the state that require priority attention for improving food...

‘The Indian farm area under organic likely to grow' To commemorate tenth anniversary of the implementation of National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP), a “National Conference-India Organic 2000-2010” was held here over the weekend in which the growth of organic movement across the country was highlighted. Speaking on the occasion, Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) advisor Dr. P.V.S.M. Gauri said the Indian farm area under organic was likely...

In India peasantry is under assault. There is a five-pronged attack on this class and the mighty Indian state is sometimes an active and sometimes a passive abettor. The first point of attack is from the corporate sector. The corporate sector is in a land grab mode. Though not justified, one could understand their urge to get land for industry and real estate purposes. Not that they are causing aggressive...

The world is consuming too much energy and materials to sustain itself and the global community must summon the political will to tackle a whole raft of challenges, from mineral extraction to waste recycling to the more than 200 toxic chemicals entering the blood of foetuses, the head of a United Nations commission warned today. The central question is “how to achieve green and equitable growth and development for a growing...

Politics runs the risk of being reduced to the art of the passable — it has to be approved by the legislature, by the omniscient television anchors, by sulking editorial writers forced to cede ground to the TV anchors, and, most crucially , by Sonia Gandhi. The food security Bill was drafted for Ms Gandhi’s favour and has been shafted by her displeasure. Food security, hostage, in any case, to...