The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) have warned that farm commodity prices, especially foodgrains, may rise by as much as 40 per cent by the end of this decade. This warning must be taken seriously given its implications for food insecurity. FAO’s Agricultural Outlook 2010-2019 projects prices of wheat, coarse grains and dairy products rising by 15 to 40 per cent...

Thanks perhaps to President’s rule, Jharkhand received a patient hearing from the Planning Commission that okayed the infusion of more funds to deal with the Naxalite menace. After two rounds of meetings with the state top brass in New Delhi today, the commission approved a Plan outlay of Rs 9,240 crore, Rs 240 crore more than what was proposed by the state administration for 2010-11. The additional Rs 200 crore was earmarked...

The state government is in the process of introducing a land lease policy whereby landowners can lease out land for setting up windmill projects in the state. The policy would help in resolving various issues between companies and landowners and is expected to expedite the process of setting up windmill projects. As per the draft policy, landowners would continue to be the owners of the land, unlike in many cases...

The emerging economies of Brazil, India, China and Russia will enjoy an agricultural boom over the next decade as production stalls in Western Europe, a report says. Agricultural output in the Bric nations will grow three times as fast as in the major developed countries, the joint United Nations-OECD study said. Livestock and crop prices will stay above long-term averages, it added. And rising incomes and urbanisation in developing states...

Development models that focus attention on the poor while expanding job opportunities, increased government spending on social services and aid flows from affluent nations are all successful strategies for alleviating global poverty, the United Nations says. Access to low carbon Energy and mobilizing domestic capital by, for example, improving tax collection, are the other factors the UN Development Programme (UNDP) identifies in a new report as crucial factors for the...