AGRICULTURE - OPINIONS
REGULATING GM CROPS
GEAC's poor record of regulation
How does one countenance a regulator that does not adhere to the law of the land and is also unable to protect the interest of one group against
another? The Genetic Engineering Approval Committee, says
Bhaskar Goswami,
itself needs to be regulated to ensure it plays a balanced role.
GM crops
|
Guest opinions
August 2007
GENETICALLY ENGINEERED FOODS
What's that on your plate?
Genetically engineered foods are blurring the line between acceptable and taboo sources of food for many people. This advance of technology is
taking place without the informed consent of the consumers, and additionally raises questions about the safety of such foods and the labeling
standards that ought to be adopted, writes
Suman Sahai.
GM Crops
February 2007
PATENTS AND LIVELIHOODS
Engineering crops, distorting trade
When technological change has the potential to put the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people at risk, it must be regulated
differently from other products in a free market. Blindly promoting innovation, as is now being done with genetically engineered crops, is self-defeating,
writes
Suman Sahai.
GE Crops
|
Trade
September 2006
THE PEASANT'S WORLDVIEW
What the heart does not feel, ...
After 15 years of a battering from hostile policies and governments, the world of the peasant has turned highly fragile. But the onus of changing is on the
farmer. Not on those driving a cruel process and system, who have only contempt for ordinary folk, writes
P Sainath.
P Sainath
|
Farmers' suicides
September 2006
WHEAT IMPORTS
Importing a farming crisis
India is unilaterally opening its doors to imports of wheat at a time when several contentious issues remain to be
settled in the World Trade Organisation. This deliberate step up will result in serious consequences, and weaken the
country's bargaining power, writes
Ashok B Sharma.
Trade in agriculture
|
Guest Opinions
OPINION: VIDARBHA CRISIS
Much research, but no decisive action
At least sixteen committees and panels . from the National Farmers Commission
led by Professor M S Swaminathan to the Planning Commission's fact-finding-mission
led by bureaucrat Adarsh Misra . came this year to Vidarbha, apparently peeved
by and concerned over the suicide crisis. Nothing has come of all this yet, notes
Jaideep Hardikar.
Guest column
|
Farmer suicides
May 2006
CONTRACT FARMING
Corporate agriculture: transplanting failure
Growing corporate interests and influences in the country's farm sector are beginning to underplay the significance of
cooperatives, despite failed pilot programs. Moreover, farmer-owned-firms continue to be successful in the developed
nations, and this evidence too is being ignored, writes
Sudhirendar Sharma.
Agriculture policy
May 2006
REGULATION OF BIOTECHNOLOGY
Biotech Policy: secretive and hasty
The government's stance towards biotechnology shows such disregard for the public interest that even its
own Expert Committee is not privy to the proposed new policy.
Suman Sahai
protests the reckless endorsement of vested interests while many other stakeholders are kept in the dark.
GM Crops
|
Agri. Policies
|
Right to Information
April 2006
INDO-US AGRICULTURE DEAL
Nukes in favour, crops downgraded
Chasing nuclear stardom, sacrifice agriculture.
Guest Opinions
|
GM crops
|
Farm trade
April 2006
WTO HONG KONG MINISTERIAL
Much ado about nothing
WTO's faulty framework remains very much in place.
Agricultural trade
|
Devinder Sharma
December 2005
NSSO ASSESSMENT OF FARMERS
Falling farm incomes, growing inequities
What can you spend on, with Rs.8 a day?
P Sainath
|
Poverty
November 2005