After Dave, what does future hold for GM Mustard?

The new Environment Minister has to respond to allegations that the entire process of approving GM Mustard was unscientific

Study points to quality issues in Bt cotton seeds

The study has found seed companies violating norms on the mixture of refuge seeds and Bt cotton seeds provided to farmers

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.

Raising the stakes

Farmers cannot escape the impact of global trade regimes. The lack of a safety net makes it worse

Fruit from Jambudweep

Jamrul, they say, gave India its ancient name of Jambudweep. The fruit was easily available till a few decades ago, but is now a rarity

Government to take a decision on GM Mustard by September

The Supreme Court will hear petitions against the commercial release of the crop then

Matter of taste

Our vegetables have become blemish-free, resistant to pest and long-lasting, but they have lost their flavour in the process

Resisting GM crops is our responsibility: expert

Genetically modified crops are “Terminator technology” that kills the basic instinct for survival

Climate disruption

Global warming has compromised Africa's ability to feed its population. It's time African nations adapt to the changing scenario

How to make Africa food self-sufficient, again?

Africa is the only continent that imports more food than it produces. With ground reports from 10 African countries, Down To Earth's editorial …

A continental crisis, and a few green shoots

African countries are fighting an addiction: import of food items, which happens at the cost of domestic farmers. Despite the unprecedented …

Climate change blues: ‘everyday monsoon’ foxes Mizoram farmers

Changing rainfall pattern and rising temperatures are forcing them to move away from traditional farming and grow exotic crops

Plucking out problems

Tea estates in Darjeeling are embracing innovative techniques to combat the impacts of climate change

No GM Mustard for now; Centre puts commercial release on hold following protests

In May, the government panel had cleared commercial release of GM Mustard with certain conditions

Traditional seeds need to be conserved for organic farming

At the 19th Organic World Congress, more than 55 groups have come together to call for the conservation of indigenous seeds and shunning GM crops

Don't need subsidies, give us the right price

For most Indians, Mahendra Singh Tikait is the man who brought Delhi to its knees in 1988 with a rally that brought the national capital face to …

Are GM crops a real solution to pest attacks in Africa?

Adoption of GM crops is widely cited as a solution to combat pest resistance, but if recent developments are considered, the answer is not that simple

Why are pests developing resistance to Bt cotton in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh?

Low compliance to planting refuge crops along with Bt crops and selection of refuge crops are some of the problem areas identified by a recent study

‘Biodiversity is integral to maintaining food security’

National Biodiversity Authority representative underlines importance of all food crops at Chennai meet

Illegal GM Soybean: Farmers’ body demands CBI probe into GEAC inaction  

The biosafety regulatory body denies receiving any complain about illegal cultivation of GM Soybean in some parts of Gujarat

Indian scientists convert wild legume into edible dal

A recent research shows it is possible to knock off genes that are responsible for the production of a class of anti-nutrients that make the …

Speciality rice varieties of Kerala are storehouse of nutrition: study

Rice can be a vital source of nutrition if some of the nutritious varieties of rice traditionally grown can be popularised

New guar gum-based hydrogel can help save drought-hit crops

The guar gum-based hydrogel is biodegradable and adds organic content to the soil upon degradation

From identifying plant pests to picking fruit, AI is reinventing how farmers produce your food

A sophisticated form of artificial intelligence known as deep learning could help make agriculture more efficient and environmentally friendly

Pollution in news on May 2

Here’s a round-up of today’s news reports and developments on pollution