Paan loses flavour

Iconic paan no more appeals to farmers, traders and common people. They say the contagious spread of chewing tobacco, especially gutkha, is fast …

A belief in tradition

It was a unique ceremony for a unique award given to a unique rural community of India. In what is perhaps the first ceremony of its kind, …

Pursuing a nationalist IPR policy

India has enough laws to protect its intellectual property rights. It is the implementation that is wanting

Drought is in the mind

GOOD NEWS: There is more evidence to show that water harvesting can go a long way in dealing with drought and solving the water crisis, and even …

Political harvest

Report card: A scheme that can help solve the water crisis has become a tool to promote political interests of the ruling party Success level: Poor

Learning the mantra

Report card: The government realised its failures and learned from the civil society. Despite cases of corruption and some errors in planning, …

MUTUALLY ASSURED DESTRUCTION

Knowledge without power, and power bereft of knowledge. This, in sum, is the story of mismanagement of wildlife and protected forests in India. …

Can permaculture make agriculture sustainable?

How Indigenous cultural practices can improve waste management in communities

Applying cultural practices is not common among community members because of the impacts of colonisation

Is permaculture a real solution to agricultural distress?

Permaculture farming, which spread across the West as part of the hippie movement, is fast gaining ground in India among subsistence farmers and …

What drives innovation?

The new Intellectual Property Rights policy is based on a tenuous premise that having more IPRs will result in more innovation

Plant a bone

Plant-based treatment of osteoporosis is gaining ground. The Central Drug Research Institute is adding new dimensions to ancient remedies

After India, China rejects patent claim for hepatitis C drug Sovaldi

Activists claim that the drug was developed using previously published information and an existing compound

Mandla Brimful of thirst

Average rainfall: 1,300 mm Irrigation: 2% of gross cropped area

A natural secret

Policymakers don't need to go too far to eradicate poverty. The solution is as close as is a village well to a villager

Sarguja Losing battle

First district for tribal development Rampant deforestation Malnutrition and starvation deaths

Dungarpur A 'common' death

Once rich in forest and grazing land Now known as 20th century desert 68% population 'marginal and unemployed'

Phulbani Access to poverty

Sal forest worth: Rs 30,000 crore 85% population dependent on forest 65% people below poverty line

The weather mart

Met department is not the only one predicting weather in India. Forecasts are now sold by businesses to businesses

Fruitful deliberations

Two global meetings chart a course for weeding out biopiracy

A Sunrise industry

Natural dye business survives on exporters and the local carpet industry

No business drive

Research efforts on natural colours are not helping the traditional industry

Searching for Roots

India's wealth of flora and fauna provide a rainbow of natural dyes

REVIVING WISDOM

Rainwater is abundant in India. So is its mismanagement. This has led to a human-made water scarcity. The only way to solve modern India's water …

Highs and lows

The government's vanaspati van scheme is good news, but for it to succeed small-scale farmers and local communities have to be brought in its fold