Linkage between science and public policy has weakened

M S Swaminathan, popularly known as the father of India’s Green Revolution, has been associated with national agricultural research system (…

Private sector is profiting from vacuum left by ICAR

In the agriculture research hierarchy, Swapan Kumar Datta occupies the second rung, one of eight deputy director generals (DDGs) in the Indian …

A plant breeder comes into his own

Awards are finally coming to K Vinod Prabhu, 54, a plant breeder, for his work on building resistance in wheat, mustard and rice through the …

Dealing with crop stresses and scandals

Subbanna Ayyappan has made history in the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (IACR) by becoming the first non-crop scientist to head this …

Science under siege

Agricultural science has ossified in India. Despite a vast network of public research institutions and agriculture universities across the country,…

Organic Universe

Organic is all the rage. Organic food, cosmetics, clothes and even organic medicines. But mostly it is food. There are speciality stores that …

The fifth element: Why radhuni needs to be mainstreamed

Wild celery is specific to Bengali cuisine and is usually consumed as part of panch phoron

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

Lumpy skin disease: Indian vaccine awaiting approval for 10 months even as more cattle fall prey

From January 2022 to May 2023, 165,000 cattle died

Budget 2020-21: Local level adaptation may be focus vis-à-vis climate change

Funds might be allocated to Panchayati Raj ministry, IMD, other institutions to minimise impact of extreme weather

Rajasthan ignores seed advice

It distributed Monsanto’s hybrid maize seeds that were not recommended for the state

Ban use of TB drug on crops: Central panel

Minutes of the meeting said that streptomycin, tetracycline use be phased out by 2022-end for crops for which no options were available

Why experts want GM freeze

Say regulatory system has grave deficiencies; challenge agriculture ministry’s claims

Bt Brinjal – the war goes on

Pro Bt Brinjal group releases a report challenging contention that the vegetable is used in medicine

Regulatory battle

Industry and activists have expressed conflicting opinions on GM crops. GEAC has a difficult decision to make

Act of omission

Public institutions do not seek permission from the biodiversity authority before genetically manipulating crops

Yellow rust strikes wheat in northern India

ICAR, agricultural universities and state agriculture departments issue advisories, alerts

COVID-19: Experts look at mushrooms for employment, immunity concerns

The Directorate of Mushroom Research in Himachal Pradesh’s Solan announced release of four new high-yielding strains of mushrooms recently 

Blue revolution report an attempt to sell off India’s marine wealth to MNCs, big Indian firms: fisher groups

Among other things, panel has suggested joint ventures with foreign companies and transfer of technology be taken up for exploiting waters more …

Moily bats for GM trials

After he revives regulatory body for GM crops, industry demands removal of state clearances

All the way to Brazil to find Vidarbha cotton solution

Government takes seven years to admit Bt cotton has failed in Vidarbha and return to Desi varieties

Jungle raj

CAG memo shows IFS officers are administering country’s premier forestry research body like a fiefdom

Scientists’ panel to add new member for report on GM field trials

Weeks after expert committee recommended moratorium Supreme Court agrees to agriculture ministry's request to add new member to panel

FSSAI's scientific panel reconstituted

But members of the panel now designated as “independent consultants” were a part of the panel as representatives of the industry till …

Indefinite moratorium on GM field trials recommended

Supreme Court’s expert panel of scientists for ban on herbicide tolerant crops for India