THE NEWS IN
PROPORTION
17 February 2020
17 February 2020
FARMERS’ RIGHTS
Pay up, or give up your IP!
Pay up, or give up your IP!
The Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Act 2001, based on the European seed patenting model, is increasingly proving to be more of a burden on small farmers. Shalini Bhutani explains why.
BUDGET BLOG
Why Jaitley’s budget has failed to bring cheer to our farmersAs has been the historical trend, most of the budget announcements on agriculture this year, too, are geared towards benefitting agribusiness rather than augmenting farm income, writes Devinder Sharma.
PDS ALTERNATIVES
If you want food security, why not have food coupons?The erstwhile UPA government’s Food Security Act, now set to be implemented by the present government, could mean unendurable strain for the country’s public distribution framework. P V Rajeev spells out better alternatives to explore.
BUDGETING FOR AGRICULTURE
How about smart villages, Mr Modi?For over two decades now, agriculture has suffered overall neglect as successive governments, led by World-Bank prescribed growth models, have issued disproportionate doles to industry. While the present allocations do not spell much hope, Devinder Sharma suggests what the Modi government may still do to reverse the trend.
GM EFFECT
A few facts for GM-advocate Manmohan SinghAt the 101st Indian Science Congress in Jammu, the Prime Minister reaffirmed his faith in the potential of biotechnology for agricultural development. Devinder Sharma discusses findings that raise questions about the basis of his conviction.
THE COLDIRETTI DEBATE
Lessons from Italy for the Indian farmerItalian farmer group Coldiretti is ushering in a new paradigm in farming, and has emerged as a powerful lobby for the interests of the small farmer. Keya Acharya reports on the campaign and wonders if Indian agriculture can emulate the same.
INFLATION
Why your bag of vegetables costs more every week!It is certainly not because of mere demand-supply mismatch. Kannan Kasturi deconstructs the supply chain dynamics and credit linkages in the vegetable markets to show how these, coupled with government impotence, have led to uncontrolled, spiralling inflation.
GENE CAMPAIGN CHARTER
What could make our farmers more prosperous?Despite India's reliance on the agrarian sector, a serious farming and food crisis persists due to lack of government action and policy indifference. On its 20th anniversary, Gene Campaign releases a Charter of Demands to form the basis of an advocacy programme for bountiful farming, prosperous farmers and healthy food.
NUTRITION CRISIS
Agricultural policies are to blameThis linkage between agriculture and nutrition, and its impact on development indices is very clear, and a number of recent reports point the finger of blame at agricultural policies. Rupa Chinai reports.
FARM MARKETS
Uttar Pradesh to set up 2000+ mandisThe Mayawati government proposes to reduce the distance that farmers must travel to take their produce to market to an average of seven kms. This should help farming families boost their incomes, writes Devinder Sharma.
AGRICULTURE IN PUNJAB
Scars of the Green RevolutionSick soils, declining yields, growing debts and rising malnutrition stalk the Punjab farmer, as the practices of the boom years catch up with him, writes Bhaskar Goswami.
AGRICULTURE IN CRISIS
A failed harvestA vicious cocktail of weak purchasing power among the hundreds of millions of poor people, and a systems failure in tackling supply side challenges is driving food prices beyond the reach of many, writes Sarosh Bana.
ENVIRONMENT/AGRICULTURE
Reasons for the Bt Brinjal moratoriumBarely three days after the conclusion of the last of six public hearings, Minister of Environment Jairam Ramesh slapped a moratorium on the release of Bt Brinjal. Anupama Rao summarises key points from the Minister's note.
India Together offers an excellent forum for people from diverse fields of expertise to present their views, share their experiences and raise questions about where our country and society are headed in the future.
Amitabha Basu
- Retired Scientist
- National Physical
- Laboratory
- India Together reader
India Together
Also see our sister publication 
From Aug 2013, published with support from Oorvani Foundation, a champion of public-funded media for the new India.
© Oorvani Media Pvt. Ltd., all rights reserved.