The northern region of Gujarat State in western India is semi-arid and prone to droughts, receiving almost all of its rain during the monsoon season between June and September. But for the past three decades, many crop and dairy farms have remained green—even during the dry season. That's because farmers have invested in wells and pumps, using massive amounts of electricity to extract water from deep aquifers. The government has artificially propped...

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...

Each time 25 year old Salma takes her one year old son Zubair to the Batla Clinic (a private clinic in Delhi) for a shot of the DPT, the cost of transportation and the vaccine adds up to approximately Rs.500.   When it is time for Zubair to take the next immunization dose, Salma may find that the expenses have entirely spiraled out of her reach. New vaccines and expensive brands of baby...

-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,...

As the government aims to cut subsidies to less than two per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP) in 2012-13 and 1.75 per cent over the next three years, several analysts believe the subsidy amount on the proposed food security law may not allow it to come into effect or be contained. Planning Commission member Abhijit Sen tells Dilasha Seth various subsidy figures on food security quoted by the...