Civil society praises Centre’s draft order banning 27 pesticides

The pesticides in question continue to be used in India, but are already banned, restricted or withdrawn in other countries 

Unauthorised use of 4 highly hazardous pesticides, claims report

Unapproved use of chlorpyrifos, fipronil, atrazine and paraquat in crops point to non-compliance with national regulation

Pesticides Management Bill, 2020 will hurt farmers’ livelihood, say experts

Experts call for wider consultations on the bill and for it to be placed before a select committee

64% of world’s arable land at risk of pesticide pollution: Study

Asia home to largest land areas at high risk of pesticide pollution

70,000 tonnes of harmful chemicals leach into aquifers from farms every year, some reach oceans: Study

Active agents from pesticides travel far from the agricultural lands they are applied on & even reach oceans

Farmers responses over pesticide-use effects cannot be considered scientific, petitioners tell SC

Petitioners request Supreme Court to review and consider banning of 135 more pesticides banned outside India

Yavatmal farmers fight losing battle against pesticide poisoning; pin hopes on Swiss court hearing

There has been an inordinate delay in enacting the Pesticides Management Bill to replace the Insecticides Act of 1968

Why multiple committees for reviewing pesticide ban, SC asks government

The apex court sought the reason for appointing several committees when the initial panel had already recommended the banning of 27 pesticides

Simply Put: The war we do not see

SC directs Centre to submit status report on ban of pesticides

These pesticides have been banned in other countries; but in India, they are being allowed to use & could pose serious health hazards to farmers

Ban on pesticides: Plea in Supreme Court alleges restriction on reduced number of chemicals to protect companies

Next hearing on April 28; SC seeks reasons for the decision from Centre

Why India should ban, not just restrict, use of dangerous weedicide glyphosate

Long-pending demand from civil society and activists to ban glyphosate fallen on deaf ears

ICRISAT intern awarded for developing bio-insecticide from ‘ramphal’ leaves

Extracts from its leaves may be useful against three destructive pests — Pod borer, Green peach aphid and fall armyworm — with a …

Simply Put: Insect apocalypse

Genetically modified cowpea clears its first hurdle in Ghana, but there’s a long way to go

GM crops represent a potentially important tool for the country’s food security strategy

The way ahead for low-emission agriculture

Direct emission of greenhouse gases reduces substantially by switching to organic fertilisers 

To protect India’s bees, we need to understand their impact on agricultural practices

 Farmers worry about effect of genetically modified crops on honey bees

Daily Court Digest: Major environment orders (March 30, 2023)

Down To Earth brings you the top environmental cases heard in the Supreme Court, the high courts and the National Green Tribunal    

Beans are a favourite food in Nigeria — 4 safe ways to preserve them

Beans are an excellent source of fibre and protein, as well as minerals like copper, potassium and magnesium

Rotterdam Convention: International trade of 2 hazardous pesticides recommended for ‘prior informed consent’

Iprodione & Terbufos dangerous for health of humans, aquatic animals; India among largest exporters of Terbufos

Sri Lanka’s inorganic transition to organic farming

Sri Lanka's decision to move to organic farming is not behind its food shortage given that a majority of the farmers have not even started the …

Centre restricts use of common weedicide glyphosate citing health hazards

Experts welcome move but call for a complete ban 

Silent fields: a cocktail of pesticides is stunting bumblebee colonies across Europe, study shows

The pollen that bumblebees collected and stored in their nests was contaminated with multiple pesticides, an average of eight different compounds …

A dangerous pesticide isn’t being monitored in key bird of prey populations — we’re shedding light on that gap

DDT monitoring in raptors is heavily biased toward the global north

IIT-K scientists design mobile pesticide sprayer that runs on solar energy

The device will save labour and time for small and marginal farmers