[Ip-health] Rising Prices & WTO + BIRD FLU + GMO Kit + Rural Job Scheme + IARI & Agri Education

Wed Apr 9 14:59:16 2008

--
[ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]
  NEWS Bulletin from Indian Society For Sustainable Agriculture And Rural D=
evelopment
  --------------------------------------

  1. Rising prices may change India's stand at WTO
  2. Farmers, industry flummoxed over soaring inflation
  3. Assocham seeks ban on futures trading in agri commodities

  4. BIRD FLU spreads to Tripura

  on GMOs-----
  5. Now a kit to detect GM traces in food

  6. IARI : Celebrating 50 years of spearheading agri-education

  on Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme---
  7. Micro-monitoring of NREGS planned as scheme expands
  ------------------------------------------

  Rising prices may change India's stand at WTO

  http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Rising-prices-may-change-Indias-stan=
d-at-WTO/293275/0

  ASHOK B SHARMA
Posted online: Monday , April 07, 2008 at 0255 hrs IST

  New Delhi, Apr 6 In the backdrop of the rising global prices and the gove=
rnment resorting to drastic cuts in tariffs on many agricultural commoditie=
s, India's negotiating position at the farm talks in the WTO may be weakene=
d.

  The recent rise in global prices has completely changed the earlier scena=
rio where the developing countries accused the developed world for depressi=
ng global prices through heavy subsidies and thereby minimizing the gains o=
f Third World producers. Several factors are, however, responsible for the =
turnaround in the global situation. The reports of UNCTAD, UN ESCAP, OECD a=
nd other UN agencies have held massive bio-fuel programme in Europe and in =
the US as one of the main cause for the rise in global food prices.

  The bio-fuel programme in the developed world backed by heavy subsidies h=
as caused many farmers to cultivate crops for producing fuel rather than fo=
r food.
  The prices of bio-fuels have shot up in tandem with the fossil oil prices=
 and the bio-fuel prices have had a spilling effect on food prices

  The member of the Planning Commision, Abhijit Sen agrees with the view an=
d says : "The government has reduced tariffs with the good intention of imp=
orting food at cheaper prices to combat the price inflationary trend in the=
 country. But this may soften our negotiating position at the WTO as we hav=
e already begun reducing our tariff barriers. It now would be difficult for=
 the developing countries to raise the issue that developed countries' subs=
idies depresses global prices. Many poor net food-importing countries are f=
acing problems of importing food at high prices."

  Another factor contributing to the rise in global food prices is the subp=
rime crisis and the meltdown in the equity market. The investors are now sh=
ifting their investments to commodity Markets. Sen says : "The same thing i=
s seen happening in India also."

  However, at the global level there are few big corporate players who dict=
ate the prices of food. Even the farmers in the developed world do not bene=
fit from the price rise. For instance the Canadian Wheat Board paid farmers=
 between $ 260 to $ 284 a tonne for various qualities of non-durum wheat, w=
hile the global prices peaked to over $ 250 a tonne on March 27, this year.=
 In India farmers were paid Rs 850 a quintal while wheat was imported at Rs=
 1650 a quintal.

  India has banned exports of some agro commodities and discouraged exports=
 of other commodities and has reduced tariff barriers to facilitate cheap i=
mports with a view to check the rising domestic price inflationary trend. B=
ut opening for imports at this stage would result in "importing inflation" =
when global prices are high.

  The Chairman of the Central Organisation for Oil Industry and Trade (COOI=
T), Davish Jain has rightly pointed out that the major exporting countries =
very well know that the populous countries like India and China would impor=
t food at any cost to meet their needs and therefore would not hesitate to =
jack up prices.
  The same has been the case with vegetable oil imports. Thus faced with su=
ch a situation the India and the developing countries would need to find a =
suitable alternative way in handling global trade....
  ----------------------------------------------

  Farmers, industry flummoxed over soaring inflation

  http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Farmers-industry-flummoxed-over-soar=
ing-inflation/293396/0

  ASHOK B SHARMA
Posted online: Monday , April 07, 2008 at 0007 hrs IST

  New Delhi, Apr 6 The government has gone into a panic mode as the inflati=
on rate, as measured by the point-to-point movement of the wholesale price =
index, reached a 40-month high at 7% for the week ended March 22, 2008. As =
inflation is likely to increase further, experts feel that the situation ne=
ither benefits the farmers nor the industry and the government has failed t=
o recognise the reality of the situation and act accordingly.

  As per rise in food prices is concerned, shortfall in production cannot b=
e singled out to be a problem. Country has achieved a record grain producti=
on of 219.32 million tonne (mt) in 2007-08, including 94.08 mt rice, 74.81 =
mt wheat, 36.09 mt coarse cereals and 14.34 mt pulses. Cotton output is est=
imated at 23.38 million bales while oilseeds output is estimated at 27.16 m=
t.

  However, despite good production the average retail price of common varie=
ty of rice is ranging around Rs 25 per kg and that of wheat flour around Rs=
 16 per kg. Against the rising prices, the farmers were paid only Rs 745 pe=
r quintal for common variety paddy and Rs 850 a quintal for wheat. Thus the=
 farmer has not benefited much from the recent price rise.

  Some believe that excessive holding of stocks by corporates and private p=
arties in the trade might have caused the inflationary pressure on prices. =
Reacting to the situation the member of the Planning Commission, Abhijit Se=
n said, "if there is hoarding of stocks the government should take up massi=
ve de-hoarding drive across the country."

  The president of the apex industry body, Assocham, Venugopal N Dhoot said=
, "futures trading in agricultural commodities should be banned for sometim=
e till the situation improves. I am confident that price situation would im=
prove by August, this year. In the meantime the government should facilitat=
e smoothening of the supply chain, ban exports for the time being and subsi=
dise some essential goods. The RBI should increase the bank interest rate a=
nd CRR."

  Rice exporters say that the government by effecting frequent hikes in the=
 minimum export price (MEP) for non-basmati rice and imposing a MEP on basm=
ati rice has not only contributed to the global price rise, but has also ad=
ded to the sentiments for price rise in the country.

  The chairman of the central organisation for oil industry and trade (COOI=
T), Davish Jain criticised the government's recent decision to reduce tarif=
fs on vegetable oils. He said that on March 20, when India decided to reduc=
e duty on crude palm oil (CPO) by about $115 a tonne, Indonesia slapped an =
export tax of $140 on export of CPO, thereby dashing India's hopes of impor=
ting crudepalm oil at cheaper prices....
  ----------------------------------------------

  Assocham seeks ban on futures trading in agri commodities

  http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Assocham-seeks-ban-on-futures-tradin=
g-in-agri-commodities/293012/

  Commodities Bureau
Posted online: Sunday , April 06, 2008 at 2015 hrs IST

  New Delhi, Apr 5 Industry body Assocham has called for a temporary ban on=
 futures trading in agri commodities with a view to arrest the price inflat=
ionary trend in the country. It has also called for a temporary ban on agri=
 exports.
  Releasing a study, India 's FTAs and Indian Industry, here on Saturday,

  Assocham president Venugopal N Dhoot said, "The price inflation has touch=
ed a 40-month high level of 7% for the week ended March 22. It is a matter =
of grave concern as it may eat into the benefits of the growing Economy. Ou=
r Economy should grow well over 9%. Futures trading in agri commodities sho=
uld be banned for sometime till the situation improves. I am confident that=
 the situation would improve by August, this year."

  He also suggested that the government should take measures like banning e=
xports of agri commodities to increase its availability in the country. If =
necessary, the government should subsidise some essential commodities and f=
acilitate smoothening of its distribution. Dhoot also urged that the Reserv=
e Bank of India should take steps to increase the bank interest rate and th=
e cash reserve ratio (CRR) as these measures would help to contain the pric=
e inflationary trend.

  Regarding the proposed free trade agreements (FTAs), which India has plan=
ned to sign with other countries, Dhoot said that industry should be taken =
into confidence before the final deal. "We are in favour of trade, but the =
deal should be designed in such a manner so that it turns out to be a win-w=
in situation for both parties. We want that a preferential trade agreement =
(PTA) should be signed before an FTA."

  He said that India should be careful in signing FTA with China as that co=
untry "enjoys an added advantage of keeping its currency devalued under a d=
ifferent condition." He said that India with a higher tariff regime at abou=
t 12.5% may be called upon reduce its duty to the level of china at 6%, whi=
ch may cause problems to the industry. Another concern was the growing Indi=
a 's trade deficit with China=97from $ 506.74 million in 1994-95 to $ 1424.=
04 million in 2004-05, he said.
------------------------------ -------------

  Bird flu spreads to Tripura

  http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Bird-flu-spreads-to-Tripura/293677/

  ASHOK B SHARMA
Posted online: Monday , April 07, 2008 at 1944 hrs IST

  New Delhi, April 7 The bird flu is now not confined to West Bengal alone.=
 It has now spread to Tripura which is also adjoining Bangladesh.

  The High Security Animal Disease Laboratory, Bhopal has confirmed positiv=
e result for Avian Influenza in respect of one sample collected from villag=
e Mohanpur in Mohanpur gram panchayat in Salema block in Kamalpur sub-divis=
ion of Dhalai district in Tripura on Monday. The focal point of infection i=
s just half a kilometer from the international border of Bangladesh
  In pursuance of the above test results, a notification has been issued to=
 the Tripura government and others concerned.

  According to a press lease of the Union government, the officers of both =
the central and state governments have already reached the affected area an=
d formulated a plan of action to launch control and containment operations =
against the disease. The area of infection has been sealed and no movement,=
 to and fro, of poultry and poultry products is being allowed. The required=
 number of rapid response teams have already been constituted. The culling =
operations will start on April 8, 2008 and involve 15,000 to 20,000 poultry=
 birds, mostly in backyard. These are likely to be completed in three days.=
 The local administration, in association with veterinary authorities, have=
 already started holding meetings in the area to sensitize the villagers ab=
out the disease.

  In West Bengal,apart from notification of outbreak of Avian Influenza amo=
ng poultry in Jalpaiguri district on March 27, 2008, no further outbreaks h=
ave been notified.
-------------------------------------------

  Now a kit to detect GM traces in food

  http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Now-a-kit-to-detect-GM-traces-in-foo=
d/293673/

  ASHOK B SHARMA
Posted online: Monday , April 07, 2008 at 1921 hrs IST

  New Delhi, April 7: The department of biotechnology (DBT) in collaboratio=
n with the Hyderabad based Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (C=
DFD) has developed a diagnostic kit for rapid detection of genetically modi=
fied (GM) traces in food by going to the level of DNA. Earlier a diagnostic=
 developed by the Central Institute for Cotton Research could detect by goi=
ng only to the level of protein.

  "If this new kit is used it can resolve the claims of genetic contaminati=
on of conventional crops by GM crops. We can also use this diagnostic kit f=
or checking imported food which may contain traces GM matter," said the DBT=
 secretary MK Bhan.

  The diagnostic kit has been validated for detection from whole or crushed=
 seeds of Bt cotton and Bt rice crops. Both these crops have been genetical=
ly modified to express cry 1 Ac and cry 2 Ab transgenes from Bacillus thuri=
ngensis and hence called Bt crops. Transgenic crops differ from conventiona=
l crops as their genetic make-up has been altered by artificial introductio=
n of a "transgenic cassette".

  The diagnostic kit developed by CDFD in collaboration with DBT employs th=
e polymerase chain reaction technique for rapid detection of five elements =
in the transgenic cassettes like the promoter CaMV 35S, transgene cry 1 AC =
or cry 1 Ab, marker gene npt II and the end-signal NOS-T.

  The detection of four of these elements is based on primers designed indi=
genously in CDFD and cross validated by other national laboratories, while =
the detection of CaMV 35S is based on primers designed to ISO standards, wh=
ich are likely to be adopted by the Bureau of Indian Standards. "These test=
s have been shown to be useful in detecting Bt cotton and Bt rice seeds at =
an admixture as low as 0.4% with non-Bt seeds," said Bhan.

  He said that this diagnostic kit can also be used for Bt brinjal, Bt caul=
iflower, GM mustard with barnase/barstar gene and GM tomato with osmotin ge=
ne. Five institutions in the country namely CDFD, Hyderabad, Central Food T=
echnology Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysore, National Bureau of Plant Gene=
tic Resources (NBPGR), National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), Hyderabad and=
 Indian Toxicological Research Institute (ITRC), Lucknow are now using this=
 diagnostic kit.
----------------------------------------

  IARI : Celebrating 50 years of spearheading agri-education

  http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Celebrating-50-years-of-spearheading=
-agrieducation/290422/0

  ASHOK B SHARMA
Posted online: Monday , March 31, 2008 at 0058 hrs IST

  Much of what Indian agriculture is today is due to the work of state agri=
culture universities and deemed agriculture university like the Delhi-based=
 Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI).

  The work for ushering in green revolution in the country began in 1960s w=
ith the support of the US Land Grant Universities and curricula of agricult=
ure colleges underwent changes.

  IARI was established in 1905 at Pusa in Bihar and was subsequently reloca=
ted in Delhi in 1936 after a major earthquake that damaged the institute's =
building at Pusa. The premier national institute for agriculture research, =
education and extension was accorded the status of a deemed university by t=
he University Grants Commission Act of 1956. Thereafter, IARI set up a post=
-graduate school in 1958.

  On the celebration of the golden jubilee year of the IARI post graduate s=
chool, the institute's director, SA Patil said: "Over the years, since the =
initiation of green revolution to the present day, we have been developing =
newer and newer technologies to cope with the problems confronting Indian a=
griculture. Our curricula are designed to include many modern day aspects l=
ike the intellectual property rights regime, agriculture marketing and pric=
es, innovation in farm mechanisation, water and irrigation management, biot=
echnology, nano-science, organic farming, bio-resources, climate change apa=
rt from conventional crop and livestock sciences. A new course on plant bio=
-security has been introduced in the discipline of plant genetic resources.=
"

  According to the report of the dean compiled by HS Gaur, the main strengt=
h of IARI is faculty of 460 members in 23 disciplines, of whom 345 are reco=
gnised as research guides. In 2008, 17 new scientists were inducted in the =
post-graduate faculty and 35 faculty members were included as research guid=
es.

  The out-sourced faculty is also invited to take part in the teaching prog=
rammes. IARI deputed its 19 faculty members to 16 foreign countries for par=
ticipation in training and workshops. It has established linkages with the =
15 affiliated institutes of the Consultative Group of International Agricul=
tural Research (CGIAR). A number of foreign students are pursing their educ=
ation in IARI.

  However, post-graduate education in agriculture in India is not 50-year-o=
ld. The director-general of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR),=
 Mangla Rai said: "There are colleges which have been offering post-graduat=
e education in agriculture over 100 years. IARI as a deemed university has =
just completed 50 years of its post-graduate education. Govind Ballav Pant =
University of Agriculture and Technology in Uttarakhand was the first state=
 agriculture university to be set up in the country in 1960. In 1997, it wa=
s adjudged as the best among state agriculture universities."

  Rai also alleged that much could be done to improve agriculture education=
 and research if the budgetary allocations were raised by the government. "=
We have been long demanding that the central government's budgetary allocat=
ion for farm education and research be raised to at least 1% of the agricul=
tural GDP." There are others who feel that a substantial amount of the budg=
etary allocation covers administrative costs, eating into the allocation fo=
r research.

  In 2005-07, the ICAR had entrusted the National Academy of Agricultural R=
esearch Management (NAARM) to carry out an assessment of quality rating of =
colleges of the state agriculture universities (SAUs). About 28 SAUs consis=
ting of 125 colleges have been surveyed by NAARM. Each benchmark indicator =
has several parameters and a total of 71 parametres were considered.
  The XIth Plan has proposed revamping of agricultural education and the IC=
AR feels that the funds allocated are not sufficient.

  In the recent conference of vice-chancellors of agriculture universities =
convened by ICAR, it was suggested that the government allow utilisation of=
 funds under Rashtriya Krishi Vikash Yojana for expansion of teaching resea=
rch capacity of SAUs in identified priority areas. It was also proposed to =
set up educational museums in agricultural universities....
  -------------------------------------------

  Micro-monitoring of NREGS planned as scheme expands

  http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Micromonitoring-of-NREGS-planned-as-=
scheme-expands/293295/0

  ASHOK B SHARMA
Posted online: Monday , April 07, 2008 at 2227 hrs IST

  New Delhi, April 6 : The report card of states on the National Rural Empl=
oyment Guarantee Scheme (NGRES) is mixed. However, the rural development mi=
nistry, which has been responsible for implementation of the scheme since F=
ebruary 2006, has refused to spell out which are the best or worst performi=
ng states. ''In states, where there are good performance in some districts =
and panchayats, there are bad performance in other districts and panchayats=
. The performances have to be judged at the micro level'', said rural devel=
opment minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh.

  Painting a rosy picture at the macro level, the minister said NREGS, whic=
h was expanded last week to cover all districts in the current year, had pr=
ovided jobs to 3.08 crore households against a demand for 3.10 crore till F=
ebruary 2008. A total of 121.64 crore persondays employment was generated i=
n phase I and II covering 330 districts. Out of 121.64 crore persondays emp=
loyment, the scheduled castes had a share of 27.04%, while the Scheduled tr=
ibes had a share of 30%. Persondays of employment provided to a family is 4=
0 days. Of the total, about 51.24% of jobs went to women, he added.

  However, with reports pouring in about leakages and flaws in NREGS, Singh=
 said his ministry had invited non-governmental ogranisations (NGOs) to par=
ticipate in the monitoring process. ''We have invited the participation of =
NGOs in implementation and social audit'', he added.

  The United Nations has already launched a forum of NGOs, Solution Exchang=
e, for monitoring the scheme. However, some NGOs feel that the right lesson=
s should be learnt from the experience of the Maharashtra Employment Guaran=
tee Scheme (MEGS), which has been operational since several years. MEGS was=
 set up in the drought period of the early 70s. Data shows that employment =
through this scheme was between 1/10th to 1/3rd of the number of days of em=
ployment of rural workers. The participation of women in the MGES was betwe=
en 30% to 40%.

  Sarit Rout of CYSD, a Bhubaneswar-based NGO working in Nabarangpur distri=
ct, said they had helped the Orissa government train members for mobilising=
 people and form unions. The government has used NREGA application software=
 to issue job cards and prepare a database to systematise its implementatio=
n in 32,000 villages in 3,672 gram panchayats. She suggested that local vig=
ilance groups be formed for each panchayats to identify BPL (below poverty =
line) families.

  KS Gopal of the Hyderabad-based Centre for Environment Concerns, said a h=
and-held biometric reader for making payments was being used in 10 panchaya=
ts of Annantpur district in Andhra. Priced at Rs 26,000, it makes payment t=
o the worker at her habitation. ...
  -------------------------------------------

---------------------------------
 Bollywood, fun, friendship, sports and more. You name it,  we have it.