Good Food is First Food. It is not junk food. It is the food that connects nature and nutrition with livelihoods. This food is good for our health; it comes from the rich biodiversity of our regions; it provides employment to people. Most importantly, cooking and eating give us pleasure. …
Folk healers in North-East use plants to treat infections, cancer Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have shown that the concept of herbal medicines being totally safe is a myth and their properties need to be thoroughly investigated for toxic properties. Plants have been used as a traditional …
The city is all set to get greener. The Noida Authority has set a target of adding nearly 500 acres of green cover to the city in the current financial year. At present, the city's greenery is 18% of its total area, which will rise to 20% with the addition …
R.R. Hanchinal, chairman of the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority, has said the bio-diversity of the Western Ghats region, which can be a useful gene-pool for crop improvement, should be conserved. Mr. Hanchinal was speaking at the first convocation ceremony of the University of Agricultural and Horticultural …
The aim of this study is to determine the phytochemical and antioxidants properties, moisture, protein, fat, ash, crude fibre, acidity, TSS, pH and calcium content of wild fruits namely water apple (Syzygium aqueum) and chappathikalli (Opuntia ficusindica) and it was collected from Kodaikanal hills, Tamilnadu, India. The total phenolic contents …
Just as the government struggles to find some middle ground on Genetically Modified crops, there is a fresh twist to the politically sensitive issue. The Ayush ministry, which deals with Ayurveda and other Indian systems of medicine, has raised concerns with the environment ministry on the possible adverse impact GM …
Seeking to bring students closer to nature and inculcate in them a sense of urgency to protect environment, the Union environment and forests ministry on Monday launched the 'School Nursery Yojana' which would involve children in raising saplings in nurseries created inside their school campuses. Ten thousands schools will be …
Unauthorized use of natural resources is a key threat to many protected areas. Approaches to reducing this threat include law enforcement and integrated conservation and development (ICD) projects, but for such ICDs to be targeted effectively, it is important to understand who is illegally using which natural resources and why. …
Conservation of natural resources has been an integral part of several indigenous communities in different parts of the world. Nature worship has been a key force in determining human attitudes towards conservation and sustainable utilization of biodiversity. Many traditional conservation practices are being followed by indigenous people around the world …
Medicinal plant trade is important for local livelihoods. However, many medicinal plants are difficult to identify when they are sold as roots, powders or bark. DNA barcoding involves using a short, agreed-upon region of a genome as a unique identifier for species– ideally, as a global standard. Original Source
The state government targets to bring 8712.45 hectares of additional area under the forest cover. It will spend Rs 45 crore to enhance the green cover during the financial year.. As per the 2013 report of the Forest Survey of India, the state has 14,683 square kilometres area under the …
Alkali lands in India occupy about 3.8 m ha. Due to poor physical properties, excessive exchangeable sodium and high pH, most of these lands support a poor vegetative cover. These lands are reclaimed using costly amendments such as gypsum, phospho-gypsum or press mud. In recent times many of the medicinal …
The Ogiek and other indigenous communities will now be allowed back to forests for activities the government deems compatible with conservation. The plan has been mooted under the National Forest Programme (NFP), and is spearheaded by the Ministry of Environment. "The government is committed to conservation of forests resources while …
Man was a foraging hunter–gatherer during the initial period of evolution. Later he started cultivating cereals and legumes and thus the transition from foraging to farming occurred. As a result, many of the useful wild plants have come under cultivation. Today, thousands of plant species are cultivated throughout the world …
A ground-breaking report on biodiversity and health, launched at the 14th World Congress on Public Health, in Kolkata, India, shows the significant contribution of biodiversity and ecosystem services to better human health. The report, Connecting Global Priorities: Biodiversity and Human Health, demonstrates that the relationship between biodiversity and human health …
The present study represents report on bioactive constituents, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of three cultivars of wax apple fruit. Results revealed that fruits of both Masam manis (pink) and Jambu madu (red) cultivars are the ultimate sources of anthocyanin, carotene and vitamin-C. On the contrary, chlorophyll and titratable acidity content …
Adansonia digitata L. (Malvaceae) is commonly known as baobab tree native to Africa. Baobab is a multi-purpose tree which offers protection and provides food, clothing and medicine as well as raw material for many useful items. The fruit pulp, seeds, leaves, flowers, roots, and bark of baobab are edible and …
Despite the increasing acceptance of traditional medicines in peri-urban areas in South Africa, this rich indigenous knowledge is not adequately documented. Therefore, an ethnobotanical study was undertaken to document medicinal plants grown and maintained in per-urban domestic gardens in the Capricorn District, Limpopo Province. Semi-structured interviews, observation and guided walks …
The Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change has sanctioned Rs 5.12 crore for the 'Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve' (CDBR) in the Spiti region of the tribal Lahaul and Spiti district. The Spiti area was the only one among 18 such zones in the country to have been declared …
Apart from increasing area under horticulture in Madhya Pradesh, modern technology is also being promoted in the sector. Agro industries are being promoted for economic empowerment of farmers. For this, Horticulture and Food Processing Department was constituted in year 2005 by merging Horticulture & Farm Forestry Department and Agro Industries …
The state government has decided to bring 17,500 hectares under plantation this year. Around 45 lakh medicinal plants will be planted during a plantation drive. KS Pathania, Vice-Chairman of the State Forest Corporation, stated this today at Drehni here while launching the drive by planting a sapling in the presence …
