Activist and academic Raj Patel’s profile proudly notes that he has worked for the World Bank and the WTO, and protested against them both around the world. A visiting scholar at the University of California at Berkeley’s Centre for African Studies, Patel’s latest offering to the literary world—The Value of Nothing—is a New York Times bestseller. In an interview with Ashish Kumar Sen, Patel says beating the drum of India...
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Rural non-agro economy growing faster than urban: Assocham
The rural non-farming sector has been growing faster than that of the urban since early 1970s, says a report. The report on "Comparative growth between non-farming economy of rural and urban area" by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) said the share of rural non-farming economy in rural gross domestic product (GDP) has increased from 28 percent in 1970-71 to 46 percent in 1999-2000. It said...
More »Climate change could benefit UK farmers by Fiona Harvey and George Parker
Climate change and global food shortages could bring unexpected benefits for British farmers in the next two decades, ultimately relieving taxpayers of the burden of subsidising them, Caroline Spelman, environment secretary, has claimed. Ms Spelman said the UK was unlikely to suffer the severe water shortages that scientists predict will afflict other parts of the world, and that British farmers should be able to exploit greater demand for their produce. “Countries that...
More »1 in 2 under-5 Indian kids malnourished: Study by Gokul Chandrasekar
Around a quarter of the world’s population who are deprived of food live in India and 43 per cent of all children in the country under the age of five are malnourished, claims a recent report published by an international non-profit organisation. While India’s per capita income tripled between 1990 and 2005, the number of hungry people also increased by 53 million, bringing the total numbers of chronically hungry people in...
More »Q+A - India confronts land grabs in industry push by CJ Kuncheria
As India rapidly industrialises, the government and private firms are seeking large tracts of farm land to build factories, power plants and highways, sparking off violent protests by farmers and others. Here are some questions and answers on the issue: WHY IS LAND A BIG ISSUE? For many Indians, land is the only asset or social security that they possess and is a mark of social standing. Nearly 60 percent of India's 1.2...
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