South Asia

Refugee concern A recent report by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the Pakistan government says that about 82 per cent of registered Afghan refugees in Pakistan have no intention to return to their homeland in the near future. Security threats in Afghanistan are a major reason for this. The conclusions of the May 2007 report contrasts with a 2005 survey where most people cited lack of shelter, land and livelihoods in their homeland as the primary impediments to their return.

Erratic weather hits Bangladesh's <i>boro</i> rice

the boro rice crop in three low-lying northeastern districts of Bangladesh has been hit hard due to erratic weather conditions, which has necessitated change in sowing pattern. The crop, grown between November and May every year, stands damaged

South Asia

Titas gas leak Bangladesh Gas Field Company Ltd has initiated operations to stop uncontrolled gas leaks from the country's biggest gas field Titas in Brahmanbaria district. Though the gas started leaking around four years ago, it has been aggravated by rains in 2006. According to local media reports, the gas was leaking through more than 3,000 big holes in paddy fields, water bodies and the river Titas.

US biotech to plant GM rice with human genes

on february 28, 2007, the us department of agriculture (usda) gave preliminary draft approval to a biotech company to plant genetically modified rice to produce human proteins, amidst fears about its risk to human health. If the project, proposed by California-based Ventria Biosciences, gets final approval it will be the first time a plant containing human and plant genes will have been grown commercially.

Chhattisgarh proactive in checking illegal BT rice trials

chhattisgarh became the first state to actively initiate action against biosafety violations in trials of genetically modified Bt rice in India. Besides ordering an enquiry into the matter, the agriculture minister took matters into his hands.

SOUTH ASIA

staple switch: The Sri Lankan government is now busy promoting the country's own staple food among its people. It feels that Sri Lankans are getting used to consuming large amounts of imported wheat flour, although rice is their staple food. As a result, the country's paddy farmers cannot sell their products at reasonable prices when the harvests are good.

Organic drive in Uttaranchal ignores farmers' concerns

It's not routine for organic to get a bad press. But when quixotic officials turn it into an article of faith without doing the homework, the repercussions can be seriously debilitating.

India's strategies for rice congress

India will host the second International Rice Congress from October 9-13 in New Delhi. This is the most important event in the calendar of rice research since the International Year of Rice in 2004. But in this short span, the field of rice science has registered phenomenal growth and probably one of its greatest scientific discoveries -- the complete sequencing of the rice genome consisting of 37,000-odd genes. This is a first for any food crop.

Uttar Pradesh's <i>terai</i> experiences untimely fog

farms in the terai region of Uttar Pradesh were enveloped by fog this August. Fog is not unusual in this part of the country but it usually starts happening in winter, mostly in late December and January.

High yields in Andhra's pesticide-free village