-Press release by Institute for Agriculture & Trade Policy (IATP)* dated March 4, 2022 A new evaluation has exposed the serious failures of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) — in its attempt to address hunger and farmer poverty. Funded by Gates, USAID, and western governments, for 15 years AGRA has promoted high-input agriculture, synthetic fertilizers, commercial seeds and subsidies to "catalyze a farming revolution in Africa." This evaluation...

-Hindustan Times The National Council of Applied Economic Research recently conducted a study, titled, Livelihood and Health Challenges of Riverine Communities of the River Ganga, in collaboration with the University of Chicago’s Tata Centre for Development to explore the social & economic engagement of the riverine communities on the Ganga in Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. A large section of the population living in the Ganga river basin still depends on the...

-The Tribune Minimising paddy straw burning needs multi-pronged and eco-friendly approaches. There is no single solution to manage its massive quantities. All on-field and off-field technologies have limitations. Combined, they would improve soil health, grain production and fertiliser-use efficiency, reduce pollution, and ensure long-term agriculture sustainability. Concerted efforts are needed to make eco-friendly techniques economically viable, especially for small farmers. WITH mechanised farming and assured irrigation, farmers of northwest India raise 2-3...

-Press release by the Right to Food Campaign Secretariat dated February 23, 2022 * 66 percent respondents said that their income has decreased compared to the pre-pandemic period * 80 percent reported some form of food insecurity, 25 percent reported severe food insecurity * 41 percent said that nutritional quality of their diet deteriorated compared to the pre-pandemic period * 67 percent could not afford cooking gas in the month preceding the survey. * 45...

-The Telegraph If the NCTE proposals are accepted, they will be able to get promotions like their peers in colleges and universities The Centre is set to introduce performance-linked promotion for schoolteachers. The National Council of Teacher Education (NCTE), the apex regulatory body on teacher education, is holding consultations with teachers and other stakeholders on a draft National Professional Standards for Teachers (NPST) document prepared by it. It is not clear whether the...