-The United Nations Small-scale farmers - who produce the majority of food in the developing world - need to be better integrated into markets to reduce global hunger and poverty, the United Nations food and agricultural agency today reported urging more nuanced policymaking for smallholder farmers. "Policy interventions that aim at encouraging greater levels of smallholder production for sale in markets need to take better account of the heterogeneity of smallholder households,"...

-The Economic Times NEW DELHI: After the UK drug regulator, the Australian drug regulator has also said that the drugs marketed by Ranbaxy Labs are safe. "At present, there is no evidence that any of the products in the Australian market manufactured by Ranbaxy are of an unacceptable quality or that there is a danger to consumers in Australia," a spokesperson for the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) told ET. The Australian...

-The Hindustan Times The Cabinet on Wednesday finally approved an ordinance to launch the ruling Congress's showpiece welfare legislation, the National Food Security Bill, after a four-year political roller-coaster ride. The decision on the ordinance was unanimous, food minister KV Thomas said, adding that it was being sent to the president for his approval. An ordinance allows laws to be enacted when Parliament is not in session, although it needs to be...

-The Indian Express The latest NSSO data also underlines the increasing absence of women from the labour market Every time results from one of the "thick" rounds of the National Sample Survey come out, we get into a feeding frenzy, trying to slice and dice the statistics for changes since the previous round. Since NSS large rounds are typically conducted every five years, there is perhaps some sense to it, particularly when...

-PTI MUMBAI: The recent five per cent hike in the MSP against 15 per cent average hike in support price for farm produce in the last six years is likely to have only a nominal impact on food inflation Japanese brokerage firm Nomura said in its research report. Government last week raised the MSP of nine farm items, including some pulses and oilseeds, in the range of Rs 60-450 per quintal for...