-The Guardian By shunning all but organic farming techniques, the Himalayan state will cement its status as a paradigm of sustainability Bhutan plans to become the first country in the world to turn its agriculture completely organic, banning the sales of pesticides and herbicides and relying on its own animals and farm waste for fertilisers. But rather than accept that this will mean farmers of the small Himalayan kingdom of 1.2 million people...

-Outlook Country's foodgrain production is estimated to decline by 3.5 per cent to 250.14 million tonne in 2012-13 crop year as poor rains have hit rice and coarse cereal crops, but the government said the output will be enough to meet the demand. The foodgrain production was a record 259.32 million tonne in 2011-12 crop year (July-June). "We had produced about 260 million tonne foodgrains last year. This year, we have crossed 250...

-The Guardian Don't believe the hype: GM is in the grip of a few firms that profit from selling the chemicals they engineer their seeds to resist Thirty years ago, genetic engineers hoped new technology would revolutionise world farming and reduce or even eliminate the need for fertilisers and pesticides. It was a noble idea that deserved success. But only promises came. In the 1990s the public was told genetic modification would...

-The Hindu After a record run in two consecutive years, foodgrains production is likely to decline this year owing to the deficient southwest monsoon during the 2012-13 kharif season. This adversely impacted the output of pulses, coarse cereals and oilseeds, with a bearing on their price levels. But what may bring down the overall output is the slightly lower area sown under rabi wheat, rice, coarse cereals and minor oilseeds. The crops...

-The Hindu "The main aim of collective farming is to discourage migration from villages and to provide food security to the families" Nearly 200 landless women and widows in eight districts of the State are working under the umbrella of Tamil Nadu Women’s Collective network to do farming and allied activities for the last three years. Interestingly, when vast tracts of lands are being sold off to commercial realtors in the name of...