-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...

-United Nations The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) today kicked-off a two-day meeting focusing on civil society's role in giving a voice to the hungry and how best to improve a multi-stakeholder approach to food security and nutrition policy development at national, regional and global levels. "Reaching consensus is important because it will make us move faster and because we need results in the short term," said Graziano da Silva,...

-The Times of India CHANDIGARH: Landlocked Punjab has started feeding shrimps to coastal Dubai! A progressive farmer has started using waterlogged wastelands in the state as fish farms, unlocking the possibility of more such farms coming up in select pockets of the state. In fact, the first consignment of two tonnes of shrimps from a trial farm in Fazilka was sent to Dubai with the help of the Gujarati farmer only last...

-The New Indian Express   THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Union Government should not go ahead with the implementation of the Dr Meenakumari Report on fishing sector, the Kerala Swathanthra Matsyathozhilali Federation state committee has demanded. Inaugurating a workshop on deep sea fishing policy, organised by the Federation in association with National Fishworkers' Forum and Association of Deep Seagoing Artisanal Fishermen in the city the other day, Labour Minister Shibu Baby John opined that implementing the...

-PTI NEW DELHI: In order to improve availability of fodder in the country, several state governments today suggested setting up of a Fodder Corporation of India (FCI), ban on export of oilseed cake and disallowing harvesting of wheat and other fodder crop using combine harvestor. Some states also demanded that the Centre should treat animal husbandry, dairying and fisheries at par with the agriculture sector and ensure benefits such crop loans at...