The IMF’s April 2025 Regional Economic Outlook for Sub-Saharan Africa presents a clear warning: regional growth is slowing, debt pressures are mounting, and donor assistance is declining. Yet the report outlines critical opportunities particularly in domestic revenue mobilization, structural reform, and private sector activation that can shape a more resilient …
Environment Ministry today clarified that it has given no approval for field trials of certain varieties of Genetically Modified (GM) crops. The ministry, however, said that the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) has recommended certain cases for field trials. "Field trials of GM Crops is not a Government Decision. It …
The Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) and the Swadeshi Jagaran Manch (SJM), two Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)-inspired organisations, on Saturday criticised the Union environment ministry’s approval to field trials of 15 varieties of genetically modified (GM) crops, including rice, brinjal, chickpea, mustard and cotton. In India, the issue of GM crops …
A fledgling technology to manipulate the genes of crops in order to make them less susceptible to disease and more productive is at risk of falling foul of the European Union’s genetic modification rules, scientists warned on Monday. Genome editing is different to genetic modification, because it does not usually …
Various organisations, including RSS-affiliated Bhartiya Kisan Sangh (BKS), have opposed Centre's decision approving field trials of certain varieties of Genetically Modified-crops and sought stalling of the move. Apart from the Bhartiya Kisan Sangh, organisations like Organic Farmers' Association and Gujarat Khedut Samaj have requested all the state governments, including Gujarat, …
Salvadoran farmers are protesting a stipulation in a $277 million U.S. aid package that would have indirectly required them to purchase American agricultural giant Monsanto Corp.'s (NYSE:MON) genetically modified corn and bean seeds rather than source seeds locally, according to a report published on Tuesday but denied by the U.S. …
An initiative requiring mandatory labeling of genetically modified foods in Oregon moved one step closer to the November ballot on Wednesday after advocates said they submitted more than enough qualifying signatures to the state. New Approach Oregon officials say they submitted more than 155,000 signatures to the Secretary of State's …
The Status of Commercialized Bt Brinjal in Bangladesh is a comprehensive report on the status of commercialized Bt brinjal in Bangladesh. This brief presents a thorough review and analysis of the deregulation of Bt brinjal in Bangladesh – from the scientific and biosafety assessment and commercial release to the planting …
A new study published by Chatham House, 'On Trial: Agricultural biotechnology in Africa' looks at the issues that have prevented modern agricultural biotechnology from achieving its full impact in Africa in transforming people's lives. Agriculture is central to the livelihood of millions of people in Africa but African agriculture remains …
The weekly digest of important reports, research, policy documents, regulations, studies, court cases, protests, conflicts, initiatives, photos, data, statistics, infographics, presentations on the India Environment Portal, 22 - 28 June 2014.
The health effects of a Roundup-tolerant NK603 genetically modified (GM) maize (from 11% in the diet), cultivated with or without Roundup application and Roundup alone (from 0.1 ppb of the full pesticide containing glyphosate and adjuvants) in drinking water, were evaluated for 2 years in rats. This study constitutes a …
Australian Nobel Prize laureate Professor Barry Marshall has labelled the lobby group supporting farmer Steve Marsh in landmark legal proceedings about GM contamination as dishonest. Marshall told ABC radio the Safe Food Foundation's name was a "con job" because it implied that genetically modified foods were not safe. He said …
The government plans to introduce a genetically modified variety of cotton to scale up production of the key textiles raw material and meet rising demand, the agriculture minister said yesterday. “Bangladesh wants to introduce genetically modified Bt cotton within a short time, as it did in the case of Bt …
A West Australian farmer who claims his neighbour contaminated his crops with genetically modified canola will appeal a Supreme Court judgment against him. When Steve Marsh sued former friend Michael Baxter, he alleged he lost organic certification for more than half of his oats, rye and sheep farm in Kojonup …
OPEN Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB), has called for the quick passage of the biosafety right bill and the adoption of Genetic Modified (GM) crops to enhance achievement of food security in the country. The forum assured that GM crops are safe for human, animal health and the environment and …
A GENETICALLY modified banana, which has the potential to dramatically reduce infant mortality and blindness in children across Africa is to undergo its first human trials in a major step towards becoming a staple for millions of people. The GM banana developed by Australian scientists is enriched with vitamin A …
Veteran agriculture minister Matia Chowdhury Wednesday said farmers will soon start producing Genetically Modified ‘Bt Cotton’ following field trials of bio-safety rules to boost cotton production in the country. ‘In Bangladesh about 0.5 million hectares of lands are under cotton production which can be brought under the GM, hybrid cotton …
The Avaaz online activist network is calling on Maltese activists to petition Maltese European Commissioner Tonio Borg not to grant approval to the first new genetically modified crop across Europe in 16 years, over serious doubts about GMOs’ long-term health and environmental impacts. “Malta and 18 other states voted to …
The West Australian government is seeking to change guidelines for organic food certification to allow a certain amount of genetically modified material. An ABC Rural revealed the state's Department of Agriculture and Food has made its first submission on GM tolerance to the Organic Industry Standards and Certification Council. In …
On 12 June 2014, EU environment ministers reached agreement on a proposed directive on the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The directive provides a legal framework to allow EU countries to restrict or prohibit the cultivation of GMOs for reasons other than health or environment considerations. The proposal was …
Pesticide use is surging among U.S. corn farmers who are worried that some insects have become resistant to genetically modified versions of the crop. That’s an unexpected reversal since one of the promises of engineered corn when it was introduced 17 years ago was its ability to kill pests. The …
