-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 Times of India BATHINDA: The Punjab agriculture and farmers welfare department had banned glyphosate herbicide in October 2018, but the chemical is still being sold by an e-commerce company. Taking note of that, Punjab State Farmers and Farm Labourers Commission chairman Ajay Vir Jakhar has tweeted to ask the e-commerce giant Amazon to stop selling glyphosate herbicide in Punjab. Jakhar tweeted: "Punjab banned sale and use of glyphosate. You sell and...

-PTI New Delhi: The RSS-affiliated SJM on Sunday demanded ban on use of glyphosate, a commonly used herbicide, which it claimed to be carcinogenic. Swadeshi Jagran Manch's co-convener Ashwani Mahajan said soon the organisation will approach Home Ministry and will submit a memorandum in this regard. In 2015, International Agency for Research in Cancer (IARC), a body under the World Health Organization, had found in its research that glyphosate is probably carcinogenic, Mahajan...

-Down to Earth After the state agriculture department recently passed an order, manufacturers, marketers and dealers in Punjab will not be allowed to sell the toxic chemical or its form The secretary, Department of Agriculture, Punjab ordered on October 23, 2018 that the herbicide glyphosate would now be regulated in the state. The department has taken the step based on reports of adverse health effects of this chemical. PGIMER in Chandigarh has...