A treasure too good to lose
Mexicans are fighting hard to save their traditional maize from the onslaught of GM hybrids and US exports
Growing fences
Burgeoning population and agricultural encroachment in the last half century have erected artificial walls within the Gond tribes. These ethnic …
Fixing old houses on Himalaya
German architect Andre Alexander has been restoring old buildings in the Tibetan capital Lhasa for 15 years now. Over the past few years he has …
Out of favour
Focus on Alphonso has resulted in neglect of native mango varieties grown in the Western Ghats, some of which are on the brink of extinction
Springing back to life
Two villages in Uttarakhand take lessons in hydrogeology to revive dry springs, end water conflict
Japanese biopiracy of our Ballia barley
Japan’s Sapporo brewery patents Indian barley gene without giving benefit to farmers
The wisdom of indigenous healers
Medicinal Plants of India - Vols I & II S K Jain and Robert A DeFillips Publisher: Reference Publications Price: US $94.95
URBAN WATER HARVESTING SINGAPORE
Rain in a concrete jungle Short of water, Singapore harvests the rain that falls on most of its land despite industrialisation. The city has …
Holding water
The EK Panch Ek Talaab movement has ushered in a new era for the people of Madhya Pradesh's Shahdol and Mandsaur districts
RURAL WATER HARVESTING MADHYA PRADESH
1 + 1 = 11 People have responded overwhelmingly with money and voluntary labour to a government call to renovate water harvesting structures. …
Where are the tapovans?
Both India and China are ancient civilisations possessing characteristic indigenous knowledge of conservation of natural ecosystems. The Chinese …
Healthy kya?
Why are companies across all product categories 'nutracising' their brands? Obviously, to catch a huge market -- growing by the day -- for health …
Huts of knowledge: These tribal women in Odisha teach their next generation about forests through ‘kutir’ meetings
Apart from sharing traditional knowledge, the women at these meetings also spread awareness on ownership rights
Mountains of Sanjeevani
The Uttarakhand government's initiative to spend Rs 25 crore on an elusive mythical herb should trigger a wider quest to identify, document and …
Kolkata artist’s project aims to inculcate environmental awareness in rural areas
It aims to make people question popular notions of development at the cost of the environment
Soybean expressions
The culinary adaptation of soybeans has produced some delectable and nutritional recipes
Crazy for GI? Think again
The protection of Geographical Indication is not a guarantee that the artisan or producer will benefit; traders can corner the premium
Farmers in tech trap
Cotton cultivators are on a seed and pesticide treadmill that is draining them of traditional skills
EU to stop import of herbal products
By May 2003, the European Council was supposed to have reached a consensus on a directive that seeks to regulate the supply of herbal products in …
It’s official: Australia is set for a hot, dry El Nino. Here’s what that means for the flammable continent
Australia, with its wealth of scientific knowledge and long history of Indigenous land management, should be well placed to manage fire …
Science or Snake Oil: can turmeric really shrink tumours, reduce pain and kill bacteria?
Turmeric is often reported to have anti-oxidant and anti-cancer properties, but there is not sufficient evidence to draw definitive conclusions
‘Govt is cheating us, destroying traditional agriculture’
Farmers living in tribal areas in Jharkhand alleged that industrialists and the government are conspiring to ruin diverse traditional seeds and crops
Sweet ’n’ sour
Moringa and tamarind are popularly known as the trees of life for Indians. Moringa is in fashion as the world eyes India to feed its frenzy for …
Community management of ponds has been a success'
Mohit Kumar Ray, convener of Kolkata-based non-profit Vasundhara Foundation, says the city has been losing nearly 200 ponds each year for the …
Which way out?
Industry and people's rights organisations in India are at loggerheads over the shaping of the biodiversity bill and amendments to the existing …