Cotton conundrum

The powers that be are hanging fire on Bt cotton despite long and intensive research. Indira Khurana delves into the baffling issue

Africa's big little anti-GM revolution

Burkina Faso's farmers have thrown out Monsanto's Bt cotton and returned to conventional seeds, with a little help from India.

Biotech industry has a new patron

Department of Biotechnology is playing venture capitalist to private companies to push biotech research in agriculture

India Organics Inc

The Indian farmer is 'naturally' organic. But without support and premium for 'green' crops, there is no alternative but to take the chemical route

Not a cakewalk

Bottlenecks and hassles confront the Indian organic producers

"Subsidy culture has killed local agriculture"

Thupstan Chhewang, Chief Executive Councillor and chairperson of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) speaks to Down To Earth.

High altitude, high pressure

Ladakh's leadership is alive to many problems. But, challenges are not easy

Panchayati Raj: A good beginning

But will there be a place for traditional institutions in modern local self-governance?

More energy, Less wastage

Solar is Ladakh's way out of the diesel trap

Re-schooling ladakh

Eight years of reforms have turned government schools around in Leh district

An attractive Place to go

Tourism's footprint is too big for Leh's infrastructure

A farewell to farms

Ladakh survives on its farms. But can agriculture survive government policies?

Ladakh on the move

Ladakh is the one region in India where sustainable development is the only way ahead. Dry toilets, water efficient crops, cooperative farming, a …

Human excreta can make good fertiliser, but prejudice and laws stand in way

There is a need for tests and experiments to validate the efficacy of human excreta derived fertilisers, suggests a research by UK scientists

How scientists contained a deadly tomato pest that travelled across the world

Though tomato is the primary host, Tuta absoluta attacks other vegetable crops as well. If not properly managed, the leaf-miner can cause 100 per …

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,…

Bt brinjal controversy hots up in Bangladesh

Bt Brinjal farmers divided between green activists opposing GM crops and government which claims the crop experiment was fairly suiccessful

Bt's soil chemistry

Science and Technology - Briefs

Australian farm specialist loses job for speaking against GM crops

Untapped Potential

Lack of lagislation and certification undermines the potential of organic farming in India

Crisis brewing

Collapse of the former Soviet market and an indifferent attitude to quality clips Nilgiris tea industry

India needs a national action plan soon to conserve sharks: scientists

The country has been witnessing a steady decline in shark catch since 1998

With a taste for metals

Made to order plants that eat pollutants

Drought-tolerant maize launched in African countries