The revised draft Seeds Bill 2019, which the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare placed in the public domain recently for suggestions and comments, seems to be a watered down version of a draft prepared about nine years ago by the then United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government. Among other things, …
Campaigners say the conclusion by the European Food Safety Authority is a 'death knell' for neonicotinoid pesticides The world's most widely used insecticide has for the first time been officially labelled an "unacceptable" danger to bees feeding on flowering crops. Environmental campaigners say the conclusion, by Europe's leading food safety …
President Pranab Mukherjee today said the country can achieve the targeted 4 per cent growth in the agriculture sector during the 12th Plan period with the help of better seeds, improved water management practice and balanced use of fertilisers and pesticides, among others. The farm sector needs priority access to …
In a first of its kind experiment to identify specific trait from country's huge genetic resources, National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR) has characterised more than 5000 varieties of wheat germplasms for development of better seed varieties which could withstand climate change issues. The national seed bank which operates …
The use of technologically advanced seeds is currently much lower in the production of rice than in other crops Rice output in India can be raised at least 15-20 per cent through increased use of hybrid seeds, a Rabobank study said. The use of technologically advanced seeds is currently much …
Farmers in the state have demanded a high-level probe into the alleged irregularities that caused lakhs of rupees to go waste due to late implementation of the Seed Village Scheme in Haryana. The union government had come up with an ambitious scheme under which the farmers were to be provided …
Across the world, countries are turning their backs on GM crops; perhaps the coalition in the UK could learn something from them Britain wants GM food to be grown commercially. After years of encouraging developing countries in Africa and elsewhere to grow them, but unable to allow its own farmers …
A compilation by Indian Coordination Committee of Farmers Movements, 2013 Farmers handbook - handbook on some political issues surrounding food and agriculture in India.
In this Technical Bulletin authors have provided the importance of community seed distribution system for small and marginal farmers and elaborated the guidelines to establish community seed banks (CSBs). Scientific management of CSBs using simple methods of seed cleaning, grading, maintenance of seed purity, processing seeds for storage, seed quality …
Madhya Pradesh, on course for constant progress, has yet another feather in its cap lined up. The Krishi Karman Award for 2011-12 under the ‘Total Foodgrain Production Category First’ will be given away by President Pranab Mukherjee in Delhi on January 15, 2013. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Agriculture Development …
An indigenous Bt cotton variety Bt Bikaneri Narma developed through a collaborative effort can no more be used for cultivation. A probe conducted by a five-member team, headed by Jawaharlal Nehru University Vice-Chancellor S.K. Sopory has termed the development of the strain ‘invalid’. The indigenous cotton variety was jointly developed …
The Bombay High Court has asked a seed manufacturing company to pay compensation of Rs 45 lakh to 164 farmers in Maharashtra for supplying defective seeds as a result of which the crop quality suffered. The High Court ordered the compensation while upholding an order of the Controller and Director …
Community Managed Sustainable Agriculture – Adaptation and mitigation to climate change by Raidu. D.V, CMSA at CSE Climate change adaptation workshop: Towards Climate Resilient Communities in South Asia: Emerging Policies and Practices (New Delhi, December 13 - 14, 2012).
This ADB study documents the transformation of value chains moving rice and potatoes between the farm gate and the consumer in Bangladesh, the People's Republic of China, and India. Major changes have been occurring almost unnoticed in staple value chains in Asia. The Quiet Revolution in Staple Food Value Chains …
The Indian Society for Cotton Improvement (ISCI) has recently released a comprehensive book on "Bt Cotton Questions & Answers" authored by Dr. K R Kranthi, Director of the ICAR's Central Institute of Cotton Research (CICR), Nagpur, India. The book has hundred questions on Bt cotton, time and again raised by …
The Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights (PPVFR) Authority is framing the regulations for a compulsory licensing system under which a registered plant variety could be licensed to a third party for production of seeds, based on the demand from farmers. Registrar General of the authority R.C. Agrawal said …
French agri-conglomerate acquires Delhi-based vegetable seeds maker for about . 140-145 crore in an all-cash deal In yet another example of the growing interest of global seeds majors towards the Indian market, the $1.9 billion French agri-conglomerate Groupe Limagrain on Wednesday acquired Delhi-based Century Seeds Private Limited, a local vegetable …
With organic farming having great potential in Odisha, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today said the state government is planning to set up a separate agency for certification of organic products. The state has formulated a progressive agriculture policy in 2008 under which special focus has been given to organic farming, …
Soy farmers in Bolivia are urging leftist President Evo Morales to reconsider a ban on genetically modified seeds contained in a package of environmental regulation called the Mother Earth law. The Andean nation is a small producer of soybeans compared with its giant agricultural neighbors, Brazil and Argentina, but output …
No diversion of farmland will be allowed, says Minister Minister for Agriculture K.P. Mohanan has said the department will suggest amendments to the land utilisation Bill to prevent the diversion of farmland for other purposes. Responding to queries from reporters at a press conference here on Tuesday, he said the …
Hybrid seeds, including biotech seeds, represent new business opportunities in India based on yield improvement, according to Usha Barwale Zehr, chief technology officer of Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Company. “Approximately 7,000 plant species are estimated to be used for human consumption, of which just four crops - wheat, maize, rice and …
