-The Indian Express Recent announcements on possible changes to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and restrictions on its coverage are baffling and worrisome. The passing of the MGNREGA and the Right to Information Act heralded a new vision of citizenship and state responsibility. The former created a safety net for the rural poor. The latter gave taxpayers and voters an opportunity to bridge the gap between state...
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Hudhud a twister for sugarcane -GV Prasada Sarma
-The Hindu VISAKHAPATNAM: It is estimated that crop in 2,300 ha has been damaged. Most of the cane grown in the area is used for making jaggery. Even if some of the cane can be used to make jaggery, the units are in no condition to work as there is no power. Sugarcane, paddy, cashew, casuarina - anything that came in the way of the severe cyclonic storm Hudhud met with the...
More »GM Crops and Global Agri Trade -Sukhpal Singh
-Economic and Political Weekly The cultivation of geneticallymodified crops, especially food crops, is not just a domestic issue; it has an impact on global food trade as well. Sukhpal Singh (sukhpal@iimahd.ernet.in) is at the Centre for Management in Agriculture, IIM, Ahmedabad. There is no doubt that the application of biotechnology can lead to yield improvement, cost cutting and lower crop losses, besides providing more processable raw materials and designer products. That is why...
More »Big push to organic farming -R Ramabhadran Pillai
-The Hindu Kochi (Kerala): The State Horticulture Mission (SHM) is planning to implement organic farming and certification in 2,000 hectares in the State. The programme is to be implemented initially in the three districts of Idukki, Wayanad and Kasaragod during 2014-15, under the guidance of the National Horticulture Mission (NHM). Under the programme, financial assistance will be provided over a period of three years for groups of farmers covering an area of...
More »Pheromone traps for pest control -T Nandakumar
-The Hindu Thiruvananthapuram: Farmers in Kerala can look forward to reducing their dependence on toxic chemicals for pest control. The Department of Agriculture has tied up with the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT), Hyderabad, to introduce pheromone traps in the State. The technology uses the sex pheromones of a particular pest against itself. Pheromones are hormones released by insects and pests to attract the opposite sex for mating. The IICT has developed...
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