Page 7:We all eat GM food, uninformed and illegally

In - Depth

Solving India’s garbage problem

Segregation at source should be at the heart of municipalities’ solid waste management system

With Kathmandu and the region north of it shifting after the quake and the southern region remaining intact, Nepal experienced narrowing
Credit: Ravi Choudhary

Natural Disasters

A year after the quake we look at the physical changes

Zimbabwe has an ivory stockpile of more than 90 tonnes, worth US $13 million, which it wants to sell (Photo: Reuters)

Health

World Health Day: Diabetes, the modern killer

The prevalence of diabetes in adult population has nearly doubled since 1980 rising from 4.7 per cent to 8.5 per cent

Waste

Urban shit: where does it all go?

India is staring at a big sanitation crisis and needs to reinvent its excreta disposal mechanism

Forests

Parliamentary panel gives more teeth to Compensatory Afforestation Fund

However the panel’s report tabled in this budget session misses the forests for the trees

As the Maratha community in Maharashtra finally gets 16 per cent reservation in government jobs and education, Down To Earth profiles other traditionally well-off farming communities who are demanding similar reservations, an offshoot of a deepening agrarian crisis that if ignored can snowball into an explosive situation

Economy

In todayâ€™s world, the fisheries sector operates in a globalised environment where fish may be produced in one country, processed in another and consumed by people in a third country
Credit: _paVan_/Flickr

Fisheries: an answer to food security and nutrition

For several countries fish exports are essential to national economies, FAO experts say

Wildlife & Biodiversity

While poaching for tusks continues to be a large scale phenomenon, man-elephant conflict which has been creating a furore in India

World Wildlife Day: India’s conflict with elephants

Elephants stand at the focal point on the occasion of World Wildlife Day. In India, human-elephant conflict is increasing due to shrinking habitats

Climate Change

Family farmers contribute immensely to food security and global poverty eradication (Credit: FAO)

Agricultural biotechnolgies a boon for family farmers, say experts

A range of biotechnologies can help bring about high yields, improve nutrition quality and add value to the productivity of crops, livestock, fish and trees

Health

Zika-the new global pandemic

After dengue and chikungunya, the Aedes mosquito is delivering a new emergency— Zika. Down To Earth looks into the reasons behind the spread and the threat the virus holds

Water

Tax rebate to promote rainwater harvesting

Various municipal corporations in the country are offering concession of property tax in exchange of a rainwater harvesting system. Is the scheme working?

Health

World Cancer Day: 'Toxins in the environment are a major problem'

With the rise in the number of cancer cases reported in India every year, prevention and affordable treatment will become critical in battling the disease

Agriculture

How is fodder crisis rendering livestock vulnerable?

Today, India faces an acute fodder shortage that has left drought-hit farmers and livestock vulnerable. Jitendra finds out how fodder crisis has the potential to cripple India's rural economy

Water

The assessment reveals that while we have a general qualitative understanding of impacts on oceans, more quantified information is needed to make the information more acceptable (Photo credit: Thinkstock)

World ocean assessment warns of excessive pressures on ocean resources

The report has compiled environmental impacts of all human activities on oceans and warned that a failure to act quickly would pose the greatest threat to oceans

Climate Change

Save and Grow: a guide to sustainable cereal production

The technique focuses on conservation agriculture, maintaining soil health, selecting crops with higher yield potential and greater resistance to climate change and efficient water management

Wildlife & Biodiversity

Meet thy neighbours

Every existence has its excuse, it is said. Every year taxonomists in India venture into uncharted landscapes and scan every nook and corner to find out many such existences and unveil the excuses. In the past year they found 523 species of animals and plants. Down To Earth introduces a few of the country's newest citizens to you, each of them equally contributing to the megadiversity of India